Washington: Former US President Donald Trump launched a scathing attack on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday, accusing him of manipulating the United States into funding a war that he believes is unwinnable. Trump claimed that the U.S. has contributed $200 billion more than Europe toward Ukraine’s war effort, arguing that Europe’s financial commitments are “guaranteed” while the U.S. receives no compensation.
In a series of posts on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump criticized Zelenskyy, referring to him as a “dictator without elections.” The former president questioned why Ukraine has not held elections despite the ongoing conflict and alleged that Zelenskyy has lost public support in his own country.
Trump’s Accusations Against Zelenskyy Trump ridiculed Zelenskyy’s background as a comedian and accused him of deceiving the U.S. government into providing extensive financial aid for a war that, according to Trump, “never had to start.”
“Think of it, a modestly successful comedian, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, talked the United States of America into spending $350 billion dollars, to go into a war that couldn’t be won, that never had to start, but a war that he, without the US and ‘TRUMP,’ will never be able to settle,” Trump posted.
Trump further criticized the Biden administration’s handling of the conflict, asserting that President Joe Biden had failed to ensure equitable financial contributions from Europe. He accused Zelenskyy of mismanaging funds and claimed that “half of the money we gave him is MISSING.”
Warning of Ukraine’s Potential Downfall Trump escalated his remarks by warning that Ukraine could face destruction if Zelenskyy does not act swiftly. “Zelenskyy, a dictator without elections, had best act quickly or he will lose his nation,” he stated.
The former president reiterated that he believes the war could have been avoided had he been in office. He expressed skepticism about Ukraine’s ability to recover and pointed to the human toll of the war, mentioning casualties among Ukrainian, Russian, and even North Korean troops.
Negotiations and Trump’s Claims of Ending the War Trump also commented on recent diplomatic discussions between Russian and American officials aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. He asserted that he was “much more confident” following these negotiations and hinted at the possibility of a resolution.
“Russia wants to do something,” Trump said Tuesday at Mar-a-Lago while signing executive orders. “The barbarism that is occurring there is something they want to put an end to. Every week, thousands of soldiers are being slain. Numerous Koreans have been killed in addition to Russian and Ukrainian military.”
Trump emphasized that under his leadership, the war would have been prevented, declaring, “We want to stop it. The conflict is pointless. It should never have occurred, and if I had been president, it would not have.”
As tensions rise over U.S. financial support for Ukraine, Trump’s latest statements are likely to fuel further debate over America’s role in the conflict and its relationship with European allies. While Trump claims he supports Ukraine, his remarks criticizing Zelenskyy and questioning the legitimacy of Ukraine’s leadership could have significant geopolitical implications.
