Russia has accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of rejecting peace and pursuing war at all costs, following his tense visit to Washington, where he clashed with former US President Donald Trump.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Saturday called Zelenskyy’s trip to the US capital “a complete diplomatic failure of Kyiv,” arguing that Ukraine’s leadership had no real interest in ending the conflict with Moscow, news agency Reuters reported.

Zelenskyy’s visit was overshadowed by an unprecedented verbal exchange in the Oval Office, where Trump, joined by Vice President J D Vance, reportedly criticised the Ukrainian leader for his handling of the war.

During the meeting, Trump warned Zelenskyy that his actions were putting “millions of lives” at risk and could escalate tensions into a global conflict.

Trump and Vance also accused Zelenskyy of showing a lack of gratitude for Washington’s financial and military support, while insisting he was in a weak position to negotiate peace with Russia.

The heated discussion led to Zelenskyy abruptly leaving the White House without signing a key minerals agreement that Trump had pushed as a condition for continued US assistance.

Following the fallout, a planned joint press conference between Trump and Zelenskyy was cancelled, further highlighting the diplomatic strain between Kyiv and its Western allies.

Moscow was quick to seize on the developments, portraying them as evidence of Ukraine’s unwillingness to seek a peaceful resolution.

“Zelenskyy does not want peace. He is obsessed with prolonging the war,” Zakharova claimed, reinforcing Russia’s long-standing narrative that Kyiv is acting under Western influence rather than pursuing independent diplomacy.

(With input from agencies)