Russia Trump blames Selensky for the continuation of the war in Ukraine
US President Donald Trump has practically blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for the fact that the Russian war of aggression against his country is continuing.
18.02.2025, 23:44
SDA
There is "a leadership in Ukraine that has allowed a war that should never have happened", Trump said during an appearance at his Mar-a-Lago estate in the state of Florida. With regard to Zelenskyi, he said: "I like him personally, he's fine." However, it was not about personal sympathies, but about "getting the job done".
Trump responded derisively to criticism from Ukraine that the country had not been invited to a meeting between the USA and Russia in Saudi Arabia. "I heard today: Oh, we weren't invited," said the Republican, adding: "Well, you've been there for three years." The war should have ended long ago, he warned, and went on to lament: "You should never have started it. You could have made a deal."
Ukraine has been fending off a Russian invasion for three years with the help of Western arms supplies. Shortly after taking office, Trump personally contacted Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had started the war. The two agreed to start talks on a possible peace agreement. In preparation, the foreign ministers of both countries met in Saudi Arabia. Ukraine and its European allies have so far been left out of Trump's solo effort.
Trump in favor of new elections in Ukraine - like Russia
During his appearance, Trump also claimed that he could have negotiated a deal for Ukraine. After that, they would have gotten "almost the whole country", "and no people would have been killed and no city would have been destroyed". What exactly he meant by this remained open.
In addition, the US President - like Moscow - warned that elections were necessary in Ukraine. There had been no elections in Ukraine for a long time and martial law was in force there, Trump lamented. Russia is not the only one saying this. Trump criticized that Zelenskyi had low approval ratings. The country had been destroyed in large parts and the people were fed up with it.
The Russian government casts doubt on Zelensky's legitimacy. Russia argues that his term of office expired in May last year and that new elections would be necessary in Ukraine. Kiev, on the other hand, emphasizes that Zelensky's powers are still in force due to the current martial law.
