Hysterical Ukrainian president Volodomyr Zelenskyy, commenting on the U.S.-Russia talks in Riyadh, said that Trump was operating in a “disinformation space” created by the Russians. Trump turned to TruthSocial to respond sharply on Feb. 19:
“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 U.S. and ‘TRUMP,’ will never be able to settle.… On top of this, Zelenskyy admits that half of the money we sent him is ‘MISSING.’ 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.’ A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left. In the meantime, we are successfully negotiating an end to the War with Russia, something all admit only ‘TRUMP,’ and the Trump Administration, can do.… Zelenskyy probably wants to keep the ‘gravy train’ going. I love Ukraine, but Zelenskyy has done a terrible job, his Country is shattered, and MILLIONS have unnecessarily died—And so it continues…..”
Trump also had choice remarks at a Feb. 18 press conference in Mar-a-Lago, saying that Zelenskyy had 4% support of the Ukrainian population and people should start asking “Why no election?” “We have a situation where we haven’t had elections in Ukraine, where we have martial law in Ukraine, where the leader in Ukraine—I mean I hate to say it, but he’s down at 4% approval rating—and the country’s been blown to smithereens,” Trump said. With regard to Zelenskyy’s comments refusing to give up any Ukrainian territory in a peace agreement. Noting that there had been a deal on the table, which would have done that had they not walked away Trump replied, “Well, you’ve been there for three years. You should have ended it—three years. You should have never been there. You should have never started it. You should have made a deal.”
Trump also pushed back on a question stating that forcing Zelenskyy to stand for reelection was a Russian priority, as the Russians have insisted that Zelenskyy, according to the Ukrainian constitution, has long outlasted his legitimate term as president. “That’s not a Russia thing,” Trump said. “That’s something coming from me and a lot of other countries also.” The President also asserted that Ukrainians, who are fighting for their country’s survival, “are tired” of the death and destruction and eager to see the war end. “People want to see something happen,” he said.
In the course of the press conference Trump was asked if he would allow European troops to act as peacekeepers. He said he would have no objections, but that there would be no American soldiers on Ukrainian soil. He also noted that Russia could have destroyed the major cities in Ukraine already, including Kiev, but they have held back on that.
