Trump made his comments just hours after meeting Zelenskyy in Paris for their first face-to-face talks since Trump won last month's U.S. election. Trump has vowed to bring about a negotiated end to the conflict, but so far has not provided details.
"Zelenskyy and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness," Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social, adding that Kyiv had lost some 400,000 soldiers. "There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin."
"I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act. China can help. The World is waiting!" Trump added, referring to Russian President Putin.
Trump, in Paris for the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral, sat down with Zelenskiy on Saturday for about an hour, along with host President Emmanuel Macron.
Trump and Zelenskyy shook hands and smiled, but it was unclear how the conversation had gone. Accounts of the talks from the French and Ukrainian sides said only that the discussions had been good and productive.
Peskov noted that Zelenskyy had banned contacts with the Russian leadership through a special decree, which Peskov said would have to be revoked if talks were to proceed.