Vance Says Zelensky's 'Badmouthing' of Trump Will Backfire
US Vice President J.D. Vance has advised Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky against making criticisms of Trump. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's recent remarks about US President Donald Trump have drawn criticism from Vice President J.D. Vance, who warned that such attacks could harm Ukraine's standing in Washington.
Zelensky's comments, which suggested that Trump was operating within a Russian “disinformation space,” prompted Vance's criticism during an interview with the Daily Mail. He emphasized that undermining the president publicly is not an effective strategy. “The idea that Zelensky is going to change the president’s mind by badmouthing him in public media, everyone who knows the president will tell you that is an atrocious way to deal with this administration,” Vance stated.
He acknowledged the United States' support for Ukraine while stressing the urgent need to end the conflict. “We obviously love the Ukrainian people,” he noted, but added, “we obviously think that this war needs to come to a rapid close. That is the policy of the president of the United States. It is not based on Russian disinformation.”
Earlier, Zelensky expressed his displeasure that US-Russia discussions in Riyadh took place without his input. After the meeting, Trump claimed that Zelensky had a domestic approval rating of 4% and suggested the need for new elections since Zelensky's term is set to expire in May 2024.
In response, Zelensky countered with a poll indicating that 57% of Ukrainians support him. “So if somebody wants to replace me now, it will not happen,” he asserted, pointing out that elections cannot be conducted under martial law, as stated by Ukrainian officials.
Vance found it ironic for some European leaders to criticize Trump for emphasizing election importance in Ukraine. “The idea that you cannot have elections in the midst of a war is, I think, kind of a preposterous idea,” he commented to The National Pulse.
Trump further criticized Zelensky, describing his leadership as poor and accusing him of mishandling US financial assistance. “A dictator without elections, Zelensky better move fast or he is not going to have a country left,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. He also highlighted ongoing negotiations aimed at ending the war with Russia.
The Riyadh meeting contrasted sharply with the approach taken by former President Joe Biden, who sought to isolate Russia on the global stage. Both the White House and the Kremlin characterized the discussions as a significant move toward normalizing relations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed doubts about Zelensky's legitimacy as Ukraine's leader. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov mentioned that future agreements could address “the possibility of challenging Zelensky’s legitimacy.”
Debra A Smith for TROIB News
Zelensky's comments, which suggested that Trump was operating within a Russian “disinformation space,” prompted Vance's criticism during an interview with the Daily Mail. He emphasized that undermining the president publicly is not an effective strategy. “The idea that Zelensky is going to change the president’s mind by badmouthing him in public media, everyone who knows the president will tell you that is an atrocious way to deal with this administration,” Vance stated.
He acknowledged the United States' support for Ukraine while stressing the urgent need to end the conflict. “We obviously love the Ukrainian people,” he noted, but added, “we obviously think that this war needs to come to a rapid close. That is the policy of the president of the United States. It is not based on Russian disinformation.”
Earlier, Zelensky expressed his displeasure that US-Russia discussions in Riyadh took place without his input. After the meeting, Trump claimed that Zelensky had a domestic approval rating of 4% and suggested the need for new elections since Zelensky's term is set to expire in May 2024.
In response, Zelensky countered with a poll indicating that 57% of Ukrainians support him. “So if somebody wants to replace me now, it will not happen,” he asserted, pointing out that elections cannot be conducted under martial law, as stated by Ukrainian officials.
Vance found it ironic for some European leaders to criticize Trump for emphasizing election importance in Ukraine. “The idea that you cannot have elections in the midst of a war is, I think, kind of a preposterous idea,” he commented to The National Pulse.
Trump further criticized Zelensky, describing his leadership as poor and accusing him of mishandling US financial assistance. “A dictator without elections, Zelensky better move fast or he is not going to have a country left,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. He also highlighted ongoing negotiations aimed at ending the war with Russia.
The Riyadh meeting contrasted sharply with the approach taken by former President Joe Biden, who sought to isolate Russia on the global stage. Both the White House and the Kremlin characterized the discussions as a significant move toward normalizing relations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed doubts about Zelensky's legitimacy as Ukraine's leader. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov mentioned that future agreements could address “the possibility of challenging Zelensky’s legitimacy.”
Debra A Smith for TROIB News
