U.S. President Donald Trump has intensified his criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, suggesting he missed an opportunity to engage in peace talks with Russia. While the Ukrainian leader accused Trump of falling for Russian disinformation.
Trump, who has repeatedly expressed skepticism over U.S. aid to Ukraine, blamed Zelenskyy for prolonging the war. “I love Ukraine, but Zelenskyy has done a terrible job. His country is shattered, and millions and millions of people have unnecessarily died. And you can't bring a war to an end if you don't talk to both sides. You've got to talk. They haven't been talking for three years, so we hope to see a ceasefire soon and to reestablish stability in Europe and the Middle East,” he said.
Zelenskyy fired back, saying Trump is misinformed about the realities of the war. “Unfortunately, President Trump, who we respect a lot as a leader of the nation that we really respect, the American nation, who supported us all the time. Unfortunately, he lives in this disinformation space,” the Ukrainian president said. He also warned that Trump’s remarks could embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I would like Trump's team to have more truth. All of this definitely doesn't have a positive impact on Ukraine. They are letting Putin out of isolation, and I think Putin and Russia are really happy because they are involved in discussions, and yesterday there were signals that they are the victims. That is something new.”
Zelenskyy's five-year term was originally set to end in 2024, but presidential and parliamentary elections cannot be held under martial law, which has been in effect since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
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