Trump criticizes Zelenskyy during Ukraine war negotiations
On social media and in a speech, Trump accused Zelenskyy of benefiting from the U.S. "gravy train" and postponing wartime elections in Ukraine.
In a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, Trump accused Zelenskyy of exploiting U.S. financial support and dragging the country into an unwinnable war. Speaking later at an investment summit in Miami, Trump reinforced his criticism, claiming that Zelenskyy had “done a terrible job” and that Ukraine was in ruins, with millions of lives lost unnecessarily.
The former reality TV star also personally attacked Zelenskyy on social media.
“Imagine this—a modestly successful comedian, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, convinced the United States to spend $350 billion on a war that was unwinnable and should never have started,” Trump wrote. He further suggested that Zelenskyy had ulterior motives for continuing the war.
“Zelenskyy probably wants to keep the ‘gravy train’ going,” Trump remarked, implying that Ukraine was taking advantage of U.S. funding. His comments marked his strongest criticism yet of the Ukrainian leader, who has been at the forefront of Ukraine’s resistance against Russia’s full-scale invasion since February 2022.
Trump’s verbal attacks extended beyond social media, as he echoed similar sentiments during his speech in Miami, branding Zelenskyy a “dictator” and touting his own diplomatic efforts with Russia.
“A dictator without elections. Zelenskyy better act quickly, or he won’t have a country left. He needs to move fast because this war is heading in the wrong direction,” Trump said at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) Institute summit.
“In the meantime, we’re successfully negotiating an end to the war with Russia—something only Trump and the Trump administration can accomplish. Even Putin acknowledged that,” he claimed.
“Biden never made the effort, Europe has failed to bring peace, and Zelenskyy—perhaps he wants to keep the gravy train running. I don’t know what his problem is, but he seems very upset,” Trump added.
Al Jazeera’s White House correspondent, Kimberly Halkett, suggested that Trump’s attacks were in response to Zelenskyy’s earlier remarks, in which the Ukrainian leader accused Trump of falling for “Russian-made disinformation” regarding the war.
“Donald Trump is known to be highly sensitive to criticism, and he did not take Zelenskyy’s comments lightly,” Halkett noted.
“He’s retaliating by dismissing Zelenskyy not as a Ukrainian leader but as a ‘modestly successful comedian.’ At the same time, he is also negotiating,” Halkett added, pointing out that Trump’s statements coincided with U.S.-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia aimed at ending the war.
Trump’s stance toward Zelenskyy has grown increasingly antagonistic as he appears to align more closely with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
European leaders have strongly condemned Trump’s remarks, warning that his statements could hinder the peace process. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, for example, rejected Trump’s claims about Zelenskyy’s leadership.
“It is both incorrect and dangerous to question President Zelenskyy’s democratic legitimacy,” Scholz told Spiegel.
“Volodymyr Zelenskyy is the duly elected leader of Ukraine. The fact that elections cannot be held during an ongoing war aligns with Ukraine’s constitution and electoral laws. No one should suggest otherwise.”
On Tuesday, Zelenskyy responded on social media, reiterating that Putin could not be trusted and emphasizing the need for unity between Europe and the U.S. in resolving the conflict.
“We must not allow Putin to deceive the world again,” Zelenskyy wrote.
“Before any negotiations, all partners must acknowledge that strong security guarantees are essential for lasting peace.”
Zelenskyy has repeatedly warned that Ukraine’s survival against Russia’s ongoing assault would be “very, very, very difficult” without U.S. support. He continues to call for a united front between the U.S. and Europe against Russian aggression.
As the war in Ukraine approaches its third anniversary on February 24, a resolution remains elusive.
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