President Trump has continued to speak frankly about Zelensky and the Ukrainian government, at a moment of a sense of stalled frustration on the peace plan with Russia unveiled last month. His frustration with Keiv continues to show, especially after high hopes for his 28-point peace plan were dashed by yet more roadblocks which saw his Thanksgiving deadline quickly come and go.

While speaking on the red carpet at the Kennedy Center Honors on Sunday night, Trump bluntly stated he was "a bit disappointed" that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had not yet reviewed Washington's draft of the latest proposed peace plan to end the war.

"We've been speaking to President [Vladimir] Putin, and we've been speaking to Ukrainian leaders, including President Zelenskyy, and I have to say that I'm a little bit disappointed that President Zelensky hasn't yet read the proposal – that was as of a few hours ago," Trump stated.

He then said "His people love it, but he hasn’t. Russia’s fine with it." The somewhat negative assessment of the Ukrainian leader comes after Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on Friday again met with Rustem Umerov, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, and Ukrainian negotiator Andriy Hnatov in Florida.

Trump at the same event went on to describe the war as "very tough, very nasty" and with mounting heavy casualties which have not abated.

As for Zelensky, he has freshly written on social media in response that "Ukraine is determined to keep working in good faith with the American side to genuinely achieve peace."

"We covered many aspects and went through key points that could ensure an end to the bloodshed and eliminate the threat of a new Russian full scale invasion, as well as the risk of Russia failing to honor its promises, as has happened repeatedly in the past," he continued.

Interestingly, while Trump issued critical remarks of Zelensky's stance, the Kremlin seemed to positively welcome the White House's new National Security Strategy memo, issued Friday:

Trump's criticism of Zelensky came as Russia on Sunday welcomed the Trump administration’s new national security strategy in comments by the Kremlin spokesman published by Russia’s Tass news agency.

Dmitry Peskov said the updated strategic document, which spells out the administration's core foreign policy interests, was largely in line with Moscow’s vision.

“There are statements there against confrontation and in favor of dialogue and building good relations,” he said, adding that Russia hopes this would lead to “further constructive cooperation with Washington on the Ukrainian settlement”.

Likely Moscow especially likes that the document characterizes Europe as weak while warning of an unpredictable, disunified atmosphere on the continent where in desperation European leadership could overreact and escalate war with Russia. For example FT has written of the document:

Donald Trump’s first NSS since returning to office blames European officials for thwarting US efforts to end the war in Ukraine and accuses governments of ignoring a "large European majority" who want peace.

Meanwhile, Trump's outgoing Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, while addressing the Reagan National Defense Forum on Saturday claimed that the peace process was "in the last 10 meters." But it's a far different question and highly dubious whether the two warring sides actually see real lasting peace as so much as on the horizon at this point.

On Monday leaders from the United Kingdom, France, and Germany meeting with Zelensky in London. They are still trying to forge a more 'just' and 'fair' alternative or counter peace plan.

"We stand with Ukraine," UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer said while setting out his "principles".

He described, "If there is to be a ceasefire then it needs to be a just and lasting ceasefire; that is why it is so important we repeatedly set out the principle that matters about Ukraine are for Ukraine." He added at the start of the meeting: "We stand here to support you in the conflict and support you in the negotiations." The Europeans have by and large rejected and balked at the US proposal to give up the Donbas and Crimea.