National Security Advisor Mike Waltz suggested on Sunday that Ukraine needed to give up territory to Russia to end the years-long war, a nonstarter for the European nation that has been at verbal odds with Donald Trump’s administration.
Waltz suggested to CNN’s State of the Union that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky may not be the best leader for the war-torn country as the U.S. tries to broker a deal with Russia to end the war.
“We need a leader that can deal with us, eventually deal with the Russians and end this war,” Waltz said. “If it becomes apparent that President Zelensky’s either personal motivations or political motivations are divergent from ending the fighting in the country, then I think we have a real issue on our hands.”
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The sentiment came two days after Zelensky, Trump, and Vice President JD Vance publicly feuded during an Oval Office meeting about the U.S.-Ukraine relationship, resulting in Zelensky leaving the White House early and little movement about a minerals deal with the U.S.
Waltz also said U.S. citizens were growing increasingly impatient with Ukraine as the war stretched into its third year, noting the billions in aid the U.S. has sent the country in support. He said Ukraine would likely need to recognize its current status—and give up some of the land Russia took from the country.
“This war needs to end,” Waltz said. “That’s going to take concessions on territory. That’s going to take Russian concessions on concern security guarantees. That’s going to take all sides coming to the table. And we are working very hard to drive those negotiations forward.”
Waltz’s comments echoed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s remarks last month that Ukraine’s goal of reclaiming Crimea, which Russia seized in 2014, was “unrealistic.”
Moderator Dana Bash pressed Waltz on what specific security guarantees the U.S. expected Russia to concede, considering it had not specified expected concessions from Russia.
Waltz said the deal will likely need Ukraine to concede some land to Russia in exchange for other countries' help in maintaining security—even if Ukraine has called Russia’s claims to the land it conquered “laughable.” Russia has said the regions it claimed throughout the war were “non-negotiable” points.
“This will clearly be some type of territorial concession for security guarantees going forward,” Waltz said, saying the security must be “European led.”
