On Wednesday, former U.S. President Donald Trump called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a “dictator,” deepening a personal rift that could have significant consequences for efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The U.S. has been a key provider of support to Ukraine, but Trump shifted his stance by initiating talks with Moscow shortly after returning to the White House.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, “A dictator without elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a country left.” Zelensky was elected in 2019 for a five-year term and has remained in power under martial law as Ukraine defends itself against Russian forces.
Trump harshly criticized Zelensky, claiming he refuses to hold elections, is unpopular in Ukraine, and had only been effective at manipulating President Biden.
He further asserted that only he and his administration could successfully negotiate an end to the war with Russia.
Although Zelensky’s approval ratings have declined, trust in him has never fallen below 50%, according to the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS).
Under President Biden, Zelensky had been hailed as a hero, with the U.S. imposing sanctions on Russia while Ukraine fought to repel its invading forces.
Trump’s recent comments, made during a press conference on Tuesday, included repeating Kremlin talking points, such as the claim that Ukraine started the war.
This drew criticism from European leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who called it “wrong and dangerous” to label Zelensky as a dictator. U.S. former Vice President Mike Pence also condemned Trump’s remarks, clarifying that Russia was the aggressor, not Ukraine.
In response, Zelensky accused Trump of falling for Russian “disinformation” and stated that the U.S. had inadvertently helped Putin break free from international isolation.
His remarks were some of his strongest criticisms yet of the new U.S. administration. Meanwhile, in Kyiv, Ukrainian citizens expressed disbelief at Trump’s rhetoric, with soldier Ivan Banias calling the suggestion that Ukraine started the war “absurd.”
On the battlefield, both sides are looking to improve their positions. Moscow expressed optimism after recent talks in Saudi Arabia, where Trump’s criticism of Zelensky was echoed.
Russian President Putin claimed progress in the discussions, asserting that Moscow and Washington had made the first steps toward cooperation. However, Ukraine was not invited to the Riyadh talks, which sidelined both Kyiv and Europe.
Putin also blamed the U.S. and its allies for the situation in Ukraine, suggesting they were suffering the consequences of opposing Trump’s return to the White House.
Tensions between Trump and Zelensky had been escalating for weeks before they became public. Despite the discord, Zelensky expressed a desire for constructive engagement with the U.S. and highlighted that the world’s powerful nations must choose whether to side with Putin or support peace.
Russia has long opposed the U.S. military presence in Europe and has demanded changes to the continent’s security structure as part of any potential peace agreement.
Putin emphasized that successful talks between Russia and the U.S. would require a greater level of mutual trust, particularly to resolve the Ukrainian crisis.
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