In a separate, wide-ranging interview, Trump expressed his belief that Ukraine would eventually succumb to Russia if a deal was not signed.
He also criticized European leaders for their failure to end the war, calling them "weak" and accusing them of presiding over a "decaying" continent, plagued by illegal migration and political correctness.
According to Ukrainian officials who spoke to The Telegraph, Washington is putting pressure on Kyiv to give up territory in exchange for undefined security guarantees.
Despite this, Zelensky took to social media on Tuesday night, asserting that he was working "very actively" with European allies to formulate a proposal to end the war.
Zelensky considers holding elections under martial law
In an effort to address Trump's suggestion that Kyiv was subverting democracy, Zelensky told reporters that he had asked officials to draw up plans to hold elections within 60 to 90 days under martial law.
While Ukrainian law currently forbids elections during martial law, Zelensky stated that they could take place if the US and Europe provided security guarantees related to the vote, given Russia's history of interfering in European elections.
Trump: Russia has the upper hand
Trump told Politico, a news website, that Russia has always had the advantage in the conflict due to its size and strength. He acknowledged the bravery and fighting spirit of the Ukrainian people and military but emphasized that "at some point, size will win, generally." When asked what would happen if Zelensky rejected the latest US proposals, Trump replied, "Well, he's going to have to get on the ball and start accepting things. You know, when you're losing, because he's losing."
Since his call with Trump's envoys, Zelensky has visited London, Brussels, and Rome to shore up support from European allies. On Monday, he told reporters, "To be honest, the Americans are looking for a compromise today."
The White House previously endorsed a 28-point plan that demanded Ukraine unilaterally withdraw from its eastern Donbas regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as the price to end the war. While Ukrainian negotiators warned this would be unacceptable, they have not ruled out ceding territory if Russia is willing to make a "reciprocal" concession.
Ukraine seeks strong security guarantees
European officials believe that Kyiv is being forced to choose between accepting unacceptable territorial demands and a US alliance it cannot afford to lose.
Ukrainian negotiators feel they have not been offered sufficient details about potential security guarantees from Washington to make a decision over territory.
Kyiv has asked for any guarantee to resemble Nato's Article 5 commitment, which would see the US come to its aid if Russia were to launch another invasion. Instead of a presidential executive order, Ukraine is seeking an agreement that can be ratified by the Senate, like the US-South Korea defence pact, to ensure it cannot be disregarded by future American presidents.
