White House / President·President

Trump says 25,000 died last month in Ukraine war and again presses Zelenskyy to settle with Putin

Published 5:00 PM CT, Saturday, September 26, 2026 · Updated 5:17 PM CT
In the 5 PM CT update

Speaking to reporters on the White House South Lawn Saturday before his Tennessee trip, President Donald Trump said 25,000 people died last month in the Ukraine-Russia war, 32,000 the month before, and 33,000 two months ago, with casualties “mostly soldiers, 97% soldiers,” Fox News reported. Trump said he wants Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin to “make a deal,” adding he hopes for an agreement “maybe before the heavy winter.” The Associated Press reported Trump’s call for Zelenskyy to “settle” with Putin as both sides traded deadly strikes Saturday; Zelenskyy separately said Friday that Trump had agreed to license Patriot interceptor production in Ukraine, Fox News noted.

• President Trump
• Volodymyr Zelenskyy
• Vladimir Putin
• Ukraine war
• Casualty figures
• White House
• Peace deal
• Patriot missiles
• United Nations
• Fox News
• Associated Press
• Ukraine
• United States
• Russia