WASHINGTON, Apr. 24 (TASS) – It is much more difficult for the United States to deal with Kiev than with Moscow on settling the Ukrainian conflict, US President Donald Trump said.

"I think Russia is ready. <…> I think we have a deal with Russia. We have to get a deal with Zelensky. <…> I thought it might be easier to deal with Zelensky. So far, it's been harder, but that's okay," he told reporters when asked about efforts to settle the Ukrainian conflict.

"But I think we have a deal with both. I hope they do it," he added.

Trump wrote on his Truth Social page on Wednesday that Zelensky's statements that Ukraine would not recognize Crimea as Russian were bad for negotiations "in that Crimea was lost years ago under the auspices of President Barack Obama and is not even a point of discussion.".

Photo from ABC News