Donald Trump referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a “dictator” and cautioned that Zelenskyy “better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left,” highlighting a growing divide between Washington and Kyiv.
The former US president directed criticism at his Ukrainian counterpart through a post on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday. This came shortly after Zelenskyy accused Trump of residing in a “disinformation bubble” and challenged his assertion of a $500 billion bill for aid to Ukraine.
The tense exchange between the two leaders follows Trump’s deviation from long-standing US policy by initiating bilateral talks with Moscow concerning the Ukraine war without involving Kyiv, and attributing the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022 to Zelenskyy.
In what marked his most explicit threat to conclude the conflict in a manner benefitting Moscow, Trump stated: “A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left.”
He further commented on Zelenskyy, describing him as “a modestly successful comedian” and accused him of “talking the United States of America into spending $350 Billion Dollars, to go into a War that couldn’t be won.”
Trump expressed that the conflict held greater importance for Europe compared to the United States, noting the geographical separation by the ocean. He criticized Zelenskyy for allegedly refusing to hold elections, having low support in Ukrainian polls, and being adept at manipulating former US President Joe Biden.
Earlier on Wednesday, Zelenskyy, speaking in Kyiv, countered Trump’s remarks by accusing him of spreading disinformation propagated by Russia.
Zelenskyy’s remarks were a response to Trump’s false claim that Kyiv instigated the largest conflict on European soil since World War II. Trump, addressing the issue after the US and Moscow reached an agreement in their talks to “lay the groundwork for future cooperation” on ending the war, commented, “You should have never started it,” and suggested that a deal could have been made.
Zelenskyy also rebuffed Trump’s recommendation for elections in Ukraine, following Trump’s claim that Zelenskyy had an approval rating of just 4 percent. Zelenskyy referenced polling data from the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, which reported that 57 percent of Ukrainians trusted their president, indicating any immediate attempt to replace him would be ineffective.
The comments from Trump regarding Zelenskyy drew criticism from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who stated it was “simply wrong and dangerous to deny President Zelenskyy his democratic legitimacy.” UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer expressed support for Zelenskyy after a phone conversation, emphasizing that the Ukrainian president was a “democratically elected leader” and that suspending elections during wartime was reasonable.
In an unverified claim on his Truth Social platform, Trump alleged, “Zelenskyy admits that half of the money we sent him is ‘MISSING’.” The context of this statement was unclear, but Zelenskyy has previously indicated that portions of expected US aid have been slow to arrive.
Zelenskyy also addressed Trump’s past assertions, stating Ukraine did not owe the US $500 billion worth of rare minerals and other resources for military assistance. He clarified that the US had contributed approximately $60 billion, with an additional $31.5 billion in financial aid, totaling $67 billion in weaponry and $31.5 billion in direct budgetary support.
According to Zelenskyy, Kyiv has allocated $320 billion towards its defense efforts against Russia, supported by $200 billion from international military aid. US State Department data largely aligns with Zelenskyy’s figures for American military assistance to Ukraine.
Zelenskyy is set to engage in discussions with Keith Kellogg, Trump’s envoy to Ukraine, on Thursday. The Ukrainian president expressed the importance of maintaining a constructive relationship with the United States during their meeting.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged his appreciation for the US-Russia talks that took place in Saudi Arabia, viewing them as a preliminary step towards resuming collaborative efforts across various mutual interests. Putin noted the openness of US negotiators, contrasting with previous biases or judgments, and voiced a willingness to meet Trump, emphasizing the need for thorough preparation for any potential summit.
