Trump retorts at Zelenskyy, attributing the war to Ukraine
The Ukrainian president has been removed from the administration's discussions with Russia aimed at finding a resolution to the conflict.
TroibNews 
President Donald Trump criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday, labeling him a poor negotiator and “grossly incompetent,” as tensions escalated over the administration’s engagement in direct talks with Russia concerning the ongoing war that began nearly three years ago.
These remarks emerge in the context of criticism from European allies, as well as several American intelligence experts, who have pointed out that Ukraine and the European nations invested in its defense were largely excluded from negotiations that commenced early Tuesday between U.S. and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia.
Trump claimed that the initial round of discussions went “very well,” showing irritation at Zelenskyy’s discontent about his exclusion and the Ukrainian president’s choice not to travel to Riyadh for further discussions with the U.S. delegation this week.
“Today I heard, ‘Oh, well, we weren’t invited,’” Trump noted in response to inquiries about Ukraine's criticisms, seemingly addressing Zelenskyy directly. “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.”
This assertion disregards the fact that Russia initiated the invasion of Ukraine without provocation three years ago, marking Trump’s sharpest critique of the Ukrainian side to date. His comments come at a moment when Zelenskyy and European leaders are grappling with signs that Kyiv’s main ally over the past three years seems more focused on normalizing relations with Russia rather than ensuring Ukraine's survival and promoting stronger consequences for Russian President Vladimir Putin's actions.
Trump also expressed his intention to push for elections in Ukraine as part of any diplomatic settlement regarding the war.
“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 stated.
Despite Zelenskyy’s public approval rating dipping since the onset of the war, he still maintains the backing of a slim majority of Ukrainians, with 52 percent support reported in a poll conducted last month.
Furthermore, Trump countered claims suggesting that pressuring Zelenskyy to seek reelection was aligned with Russian interests.
“That’s not a Russia thing,” Trump asserted. “That’s something coming from me and a lot of other countries also.”
He also remarked that Ukrainians, who are engaged in a fight for their nation's survival, “are tired” of the ongoing death and devastation, and are eager to see progress toward ending the conflict. “People want to see something happen.”
This perspective appears misaligned with the reality in Ukraine, where many elected officials and a significant portion of the populace are taken aback by the Trump administration’s actions that seem indifferent to the nation's future. These actions include not only the engagement with Moscow but also a U.S. proposal to claim half of Ukraine’s rare earth mineral rights as reimbursement for previously provided aid, absent any future security guarantees.
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
These remarks emerge in the context of criticism from European allies, as well as several American intelligence experts, who have pointed out that Ukraine and the European nations invested in its defense were largely excluded from negotiations that commenced early Tuesday between U.S. and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia.
Trump claimed that the initial round of discussions went “very well,” showing irritation at Zelenskyy’s discontent about his exclusion and the Ukrainian president’s choice not to travel to Riyadh for further discussions with the U.S. delegation this week.
“Today I heard, ‘Oh, well, we weren’t invited,’” Trump noted in response to inquiries about Ukraine's criticisms, seemingly addressing Zelenskyy directly. “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.”
This assertion disregards the fact that Russia initiated the invasion of Ukraine without provocation three years ago, marking Trump’s sharpest critique of the Ukrainian side to date. His comments come at a moment when Zelenskyy and European leaders are grappling with signs that Kyiv’s main ally over the past three years seems more focused on normalizing relations with Russia rather than ensuring Ukraine's survival and promoting stronger consequences for Russian President Vladimir Putin's actions.
Trump also expressed his intention to push for elections in Ukraine as part of any diplomatic settlement regarding the war.
“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 stated.
Despite Zelenskyy’s public approval rating dipping since the onset of the war, he still maintains the backing of a slim majority of Ukrainians, with 52 percent support reported in a poll conducted last month.
Furthermore, Trump countered claims suggesting that pressuring Zelenskyy to seek reelection was aligned with Russian interests.
“That’s not a Russia thing,” Trump asserted. “That’s something coming from me and a lot of other countries also.”
He also remarked that Ukrainians, who are engaged in a fight for their nation's survival, “are tired” of the ongoing death and devastation, and are eager to see progress toward ending the conflict. “People want to see something happen.”
This perspective appears misaligned with the reality in Ukraine, where many elected officials and a significant portion of the populace are taken aback by the Trump administration’s actions that seem indifferent to the nation's future. These actions include not only the engagement with Moscow but also a U.S. proposal to claim half of Ukraine’s rare earth mineral rights as reimbursement for previously provided aid, absent any future security guarantees.
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
