Trump implies Zelenskyy bears responsibility for the Russia-Ukraine conflict
In a recent statement, Trump expressed strong criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, asserting, “He should never have let that war start.”
TroibNews 
Donald Trump has attributed the ongoing war in Ukraine to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, reflecting a trend of sympathetic remarks towards Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“He should never have let that war start. The war’s a loser,” Trump stated about Zelenskyy during a podcast with conservative commentator Patrick Bet-David that was released on Thursday. The former president further claimed that President Joe Biden had “instigated that war,” asserting that it “would never have happened” if he were still in office.
In truth, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine dates back over a decade. In 2014, Putin deployed disguised Russian troops alongside separatist forces to seize control of parts of eastern Ukraine and the Crimea region. Hostilities escalated significantly in 2022, when the Kremlin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Trump has exhibited an increasingly favorable stance towards Putin amid the ongoing conflict. During a recent debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, he insisted that the war should come to an end but refrained from directly stating whether he believed Ukraine should achieve victory.
Additionally, journalist Bob Woodward revealed in a book published on Monday that Trump had contacted Putin multiple times since leaving office, reportedly as many as seven times, and even sent him Covid-19 tests for personal use while still president. Trump has neither confirmed nor denied these claims.
In the podcast, Trump responded to accusations of being “in the pocket” of Russia by stating he had “ended the biggest job they’d ever done,” referencing the sanctions he imposed on Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline into Germany.
He later noted that he has “a good relationship with Putin and with Zelenskyy,” having met the latter last month during the United Nations General Assembly. Before this meeting, Trump pledged to broker a deal that would be “good for both sides.”
When asked for comments, Trump's campaign pointed to a speech he delivered at the Republican National Convention in July: "Under President Bush, Russia invaded Georgia. Under President Obama, Russia took Crimea. Under the current administration, Russia is after all of Ukraine," Trump said. "Under President Trump, Russia took nothing."
Nahal Toosi contributed to this report.
Alejandro Jose Martinez contributed to this report for TROIB News
“He should never have let that war start. The war’s a loser,” Trump stated about Zelenskyy during a podcast with conservative commentator Patrick Bet-David that was released on Thursday. The former president further claimed that President Joe Biden had “instigated that war,” asserting that it “would never have happened” if he were still in office.
In truth, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine dates back over a decade. In 2014, Putin deployed disguised Russian troops alongside separatist forces to seize control of parts of eastern Ukraine and the Crimea region. Hostilities escalated significantly in 2022, when the Kremlin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Trump has exhibited an increasingly favorable stance towards Putin amid the ongoing conflict. During a recent debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, he insisted that the war should come to an end but refrained from directly stating whether he believed Ukraine should achieve victory.
Additionally, journalist Bob Woodward revealed in a book published on Monday that Trump had contacted Putin multiple times since leaving office, reportedly as many as seven times, and even sent him Covid-19 tests for personal use while still president. Trump has neither confirmed nor denied these claims.
In the podcast, Trump responded to accusations of being “in the pocket” of Russia by stating he had “ended the biggest job they’d ever done,” referencing the sanctions he imposed on Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline into Germany.
He later noted that he has “a good relationship with Putin and with Zelenskyy,” having met the latter last month during the United Nations General Assembly. Before this meeting, Trump pledged to broker a deal that would be “good for both sides.”
When asked for comments, Trump's campaign pointed to a speech he delivered at the Republican National Convention in July: "Under President Bush, Russia invaded Georgia. Under President Obama, Russia took Crimea. Under the current administration, Russia is after all of Ukraine," Trump said. "Under President Trump, Russia took nothing."
Nahal Toosi contributed to this report.
Alejandro Jose Martinez contributed to this report for TROIB News
