World
India
U.S. President Donald Trump has ignited fresh controversy by blaming Ukraine and its President, Volodymyr Zelensky, for Russia’s 2022 invasion. In remarks that are likely to send shockwaves through global diplomatic circles, Trump claimed Kyiv was responsible for the war and suggested the conflict could have been avoided.
Trump Criticizes Zelensky’s Leadership and Calls for Elections
Speaking at an impromptu press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday, Trump appeared agitated as he criticized Ukraine’s role in the ongoing war. “Today I heard, ‘Oh, we weren’t invited’ [to Tuesday’s U.S.-Russia talks]. Well, you’ve been there for three years, you should have ended it three years ago. You should have never started it, you could have made a deal,” he stated.
Trump also took aim at Zelensky’s leadership, questioning his approval ratings and urging Ukraine to hold elections despite the country being under martial law. “I mean, I hate to say it, but he’s down at a four percent approval rating,” Trump said. “We have a situation where we haven’t had elections in Ukraine, where we have martial law, essentially martial law in Ukraine.”
‘I Am The President of Ukraine,’ Zelensky Responds
Zelensky, whose five-year term has been extended due to Ukraine’s wartime emergency laws, dismissed Trump’s claims. In a response to German public broadcaster ARD, he defended his legitimacy and public support. “I am the president of Ukraine because 73 percent of people voted for me,” Zelensky stated. “And today I’m president because the majority in my country support me. I’m a patriot, just like the people defending our country.”
Trump denied that his demand for Ukrainian elections was influenced by Russia. “Requests for Ukrainian elections are not ‘a Russia thing,’” he insisted. “That’s coming from me and many other countries also.”
Trump Lashes Out Over Ukraine, Commplaining About Exclusion from Peace Talks
Trump also criticized Zelensky for protesting Ukraine’s exclusion from U.S.-Russia peace talks held in Saudi Arabia. Addressing the Ukrainian leader’s frustration, Trump remarked: “I hear that they’re upset about not having a seat, well, they’ve had a seat for three years and a long time before that. This could have been settled very easily. You should have never started it. You could have made a deal.”
He further claimed that he could have brokered a resolution that would have prevented devastation in Ukraine. “I could have made a deal for Ukraine that would have given them almost all of the land, everything, almost all of the land – and no people would have been killed, and no city would have been demolished.”
Elon Musk Backs Trump’s Criticism
Trump’s comments received support from his ally, tech billionaire Elon Musk, who responded with a “100 percent” emoji to an X post that read, “Zelensky doesn’t want peace, he wants money and power.”
On Tuesday, Zelensky postponed his planned visit to Saudi Arabia, originally scheduled for Wednesday, after the kingdom hosted discussions between the U.S. and Russia on resolving the conflict.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met in Riyadh for the first in-person talks between the two nations since the invasion, agreeing to appoint teams to negotiate an end to the war. Meanwhile, Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday morning ahead of a scheduled meeting with Zelensky and his officials.
Zelensky in Turkey
During a press conference at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey, Zelensky once again condemned Ukraine and Europe’s exclusion from the negotiations, a move that appeared to provoke Trump’s remarks. “About Ukraine – about Ukraine again – and without Ukraine,” Zelensky said, expressing frustration over the ongoing discussions taking place without Kyiv’s involvement.
The Ukrainian leader has made it clear that his country will not accept the outcome of talks held behind its back. “It feels like the U.S. is now discussing the ultimatum that Putin set at the start of the full-scale war,” he warned.
Also Read: U.S. And Russia Begin Talks In Saudi Arabia Over Ukraine Conflict But Without Ukrainians
