A war of words has erupted between former U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, escalating tensions as the U.S. and Russia move forward with peace talks that exclude Ukraine from the negotiating table.
The verbal sparring comes amid efforts to broker an end to the ongoing conflict, which has devastated Ukraine and drawn global attention.
Trump has been vocal in his criticism of Zelenskyy, accusing the Ukrainian leader of prolonging the war and failing to secure a peace deal. In a recent statement on Truth Social, Trump called Zelenskyy a “dictator without elections” and claimed that Ukraine’s president is more responsible for the war’s continuation than he has acknowledged.
“He refuses to have elections, is very low in Ukrainian polls, and the only thing he was good at was playing Biden like a fiddle,” Trump wrote. “Zelenskyy better move fast, or he is not going to have a country left. I love Ukraine, but Zelenskyy has done a terrible job. His country is shattered, and millions have unnecessarily died.”
Trump also criticized the U.S. financial support for Ukraine, alleging that half of the aid sent to the country is “missing.” He reiterated his belief that the war could have been avoided and that Ukraine should have negotiated a deal with Russia earlier.
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Zelenskyy responded to Trump’s comments during a press conference, accusing the former U.S. president of spreading disinformation. “Unfortunately, President Trump, with great respect for him as a leader of the American people, lives in this disinformation space,” Zelenskyy said. He also disputed Trump’s claim about his approval rating, stating that it stands at 57% rather than the 4% figure Trump cited.
The Ukrainian president expressed frustration over being excluded from the initial peace talks between the U.S. and Russia, which were hosted by Saudi Arabia. Zelenskyy emphasized that any peace agreement must involve Ukraine and reflect the realities on the ground. “The road to peace must be built on truth,” he said.
Despite the rift between Trump and Zelenskyy, U.S. and Russian officials have agreed to appoint high-level teams to work toward a resolution to the conflict. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, who participated in the talks, emphasized the urgency of ending the war. “President Trump has been very clear: he intends to bring this war to an end,” Waltz said. “All sides need to be brought into that.”
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The talks, which took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marked the first significant engagement between the U.S. and Russia in nearly three years. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the discussions as a “positive first step” but acknowledged that significant challenges remain.
“How this turns out will be up to the parties and their willingness not just to make commitments but to live by them,” Rubio said.
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