Trump ‘disappointed’ as Putin questions Zelensky’s legitimacy
The US president has insisted he still maintains a good relationship with his Russian counterpart. US President Donald Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent comments that questioned the credibility...
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The US president has insisted he still maintains a good relationship with his Russian counterpart.
US President Donald Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent comments that questioned the credibility of Ukrainian leadership. While Volodymyr Zelensky's term as Ukrainian president ended in May 2024, he has opted not to call a new election, citing martial law.
Russia considers Zelensky "illegitimate," asserting that legal authority in Ukraine now rests with the parliament. Recently, Putin suggested placing Ukraine under a UN-led temporary administration to facilitate new elections, claiming this could restore constitutional legitimacy.
The Russian president cautioned that any peace agreement with the current authorities in Kyiv may be ineffective, as "other leaders might come tomorrow."
During a press briefing aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump conveyed his anger over Putin's remarks, stating he was "very angry" and "pissed off." He also warned of potential new sanctions against Russia if he determines they are responsible for any breakdown in ceasefire negotiations concerning the Ukraine conflict.
Despite these frustrations, Trump stated that he does not believe his relationship with Putin has hit a low point. "I’ve known him for a long time. We’ve always gotten along well, despite the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax. It’s a hoax created by [failed US presidential candidate Hillary] Clinton and [Congressman Adam] Schiff and all of these lunatics. And that really was a dangerous point," he remarked.
While he expressed disappointment over Putin’s characterization of Zelensky as "not credible," Trump acknowledged his expectation for Russia to engage cooperatively in peace discussions. "He’s supposed to be making a deal with him, whether you like him or you don’t like him. So I wasn’t happy with that," Trump added.
Additionally, the US president criticized Zelensky for being unreliable, pointing to an alleged attempt to back out of a rare-earth minerals agreement with Washington. He warned that any efforts to renegotiate the deal would result in "big, big problems."
These comments from Trump come after he previously described Zelensky as a "dictator without elections" in February, although he later seemed to retract that statement.
Recently, the US facilitated a 30-day partial ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv, under which both sides agreed to pause attacks on energy infrastructure. Although Zelensky has publicly supported the agreement, the Russian Defense Ministry has reported numerous violations by Ukrainian forces, claiming this undermines Trump’s mediation efforts. Nonetheless, the Kremlin has indicated it will honor the ceasefire deal as a goodwill gesture toward the US.
Allen M Lee for TROIB News
US President Donald Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent comments that questioned the credibility of Ukrainian leadership. While Volodymyr Zelensky's term as Ukrainian president ended in May 2024, he has opted not to call a new election, citing martial law.
Russia considers Zelensky "illegitimate," asserting that legal authority in Ukraine now rests with the parliament. Recently, Putin suggested placing Ukraine under a UN-led temporary administration to facilitate new elections, claiming this could restore constitutional legitimacy.
The Russian president cautioned that any peace agreement with the current authorities in Kyiv may be ineffective, as "other leaders might come tomorrow."
During a press briefing aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump conveyed his anger over Putin's remarks, stating he was "very angry" and "pissed off." He also warned of potential new sanctions against Russia if he determines they are responsible for any breakdown in ceasefire negotiations concerning the Ukraine conflict.
Despite these frustrations, Trump stated that he does not believe his relationship with Putin has hit a low point. "I’ve known him for a long time. We’ve always gotten along well, despite the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax. It’s a hoax created by [failed US presidential candidate Hillary] Clinton and [Congressman Adam] Schiff and all of these lunatics. And that really was a dangerous point," he remarked.
While he expressed disappointment over Putin’s characterization of Zelensky as "not credible," Trump acknowledged his expectation for Russia to engage cooperatively in peace discussions. "He’s supposed to be making a deal with him, whether you like him or you don’t like him. So I wasn’t happy with that," Trump added.
Additionally, the US president criticized Zelensky for being unreliable, pointing to an alleged attempt to back out of a rare-earth minerals agreement with Washington. He warned that any efforts to renegotiate the deal would result in "big, big problems."
These comments from Trump come after he previously described Zelensky as a "dictator without elections" in February, although he later seemed to retract that statement.
Recently, the US facilitated a 30-day partial ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv, under which both sides agreed to pause attacks on energy infrastructure. Although Zelensky has publicly supported the agreement, the Russian Defense Ministry has reported numerous violations by Ukrainian forces, claiming this undermines Trump’s mediation efforts. Nonetheless, the Kremlin has indicated it will honor the ceasefire deal as a goodwill gesture toward the US.
Allen M Lee for TROIB News
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