Pete King to Newsmax: Trump Shouldn't Treat Zelenskyy Like an 'Adversary'

Former Rep. Peter King said President Donald Trump should stop treating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy "almost as an adversary," telling Newsmax on Sunday that Russia's invasion is a clear case of aggression and saying U.S. support for Ukraine remains in America's national interest.

"I just wish President Trump would stop treating Zelenskyy almost as an adversary," the New York Republican said on Newsmax's "Wake Up America Weekend." "He's been cooperating all along."

King's comments come as Zelenskyy and Trump are scheduled to meet at the president's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida later Sunday for talks on ending the war in Ukraine.

However, they face differences on major issues, including on territory.

Zelenskyy said he is planning to discuss the fate of eastern Ukraine's contested Donbas region, as well as the future of the ‍Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station, among other topics.

King said any agreement must ensure Ukraine can defend itself and has protection against future Russian attacks.

"You can't just call peace and then not allow Zelenskyy to have the means to defend himself, nor to give any protections to him against future invasion by Russia," King said.

King also dismissed comparisons between the two sides, saying the conflict has broader implications beyond Ukraine.

"To me, there's no moral equivalency here," he said. "And it's not just Ukraine, it's in our interest. We can't allow Russia to once again become an imperial power."

And if Trump and Zelenskyy can't reach a peace deal, King said, then the United States should supply food to Ukraine, as well as the weapons Zelenskyy needs to defeat Russia.

"Otherwise, you're going to see the expansion of Russia first as a military power, then as an economic power in Europe, and that's definitely to America's detriment," said King.

Former Rep. Jack Kingston, speaking after King, said territorial and security questions could still block progress because key details appear unsettled.

"I think it could be," the Georgia Republican said, when asked whether disputes over territory and security could become a major obstacle. "I think there's some vagueness on who's going to manage the territories."

Kingston said proposals to leave governance decisions for later negotiations could be interpreted differently by Moscow, Kyiv, and Washington.

"Down the road diplomatically is going to be one thing to Putin, another thing to Zelenskyy, another thing to us in America," he said, calling it "still" a major challenge.

Kingston also pointed to the cost of rebuilding as another unresolved issue, saying "there's $800 billion needed to rebuild Ukraine" and raising questions about how much would be covered by allies, including Canada, the European Union, and the United States.

King, meanwhile, pushed back on claims that U.S. aid has been misused by Zelenskyy, saying there is no evidence American assistance has been diverted.

"There's absolutely no evidence at all that there's been $1 misappropriated by Zelenskyy with American aid," King said.

If talks do not produce an agreement, King said the United States should continue providing Ukraine with assistance and arms, warning that a stronger Russia would pose growing military and economic risks in Europe.

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