Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has called out Donald Trump for spreading false information. This came just after Trump claimed that Ukraine started the war with Russia.
Zelensky’s remarks mark an escalated exchange of accusations between Ukraine and the United States since the war began nearly three years ago.
While speaking to reporters in Kyiv, Zelensky challenged Trump’s claims and emphasized that Ukraine must be part of any discussions to end the war.
“Unfortunately, President Trump, whom I respect as a leader of a nation that supports us, is caught in a web of false information,” Zelensky stated.
Meanwhile, US and Russian officials engaged in high-level discussions in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to talk about ending the conflict. Notably, Ukraine was not included in these crucial talks.
Both sides agreed to create high-level teams to negotiate, and they are working to revive diplomatic relations.
Zelensky pointed out that while countries can interact with Saudi Arabia, the US’s talks with Russia have helped lift Russia from its international isolation, which began after the war began.
Kyiv expressed frustration at being excluded from the discussions, which prompted Trump’s recent inaccurate comments about Ukraine.
Trump, in his remarks, suggested that Ukraine should have ended the war long ago. “You’ve been there for three years. You should’ve never started it. You could’ve made a deal,” he said.
The false claim that Ukraine instigated the conflict has been a talking point for Russia and its allies. The war officially began in 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea and supported separatists in eastern Ukraine.
In February 2022, Russia conducted a full-scale invasion, sending troops, tanks, and missiles into Ukraine.
Trump’s comments didn’t stop at blaming Ukraine for the war. He also questioned Zelensky’s legitimacy as a leader during remarks at his Mar-a-Lago resort, incorrectly stating that Ukraine had not held elections and that Zelensky’s approval rating was just 4%.
In reality, Zelensky won 73% of the vote in the 2019 presidential election. Although elections were supposed to occur last May, they could not be held due to martial law imposed since the Russian invasion, which prevents elections.
Zelensky stated that Trump’s claim about his low approval rating originated from Russian sources. He also mentioned having evidence of discussions about these misleading numbers between the US and Russia.
Recent polling from the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology revealed that despite a drop in popularity since the war, Zelensky’s approval rating never fell below 50% and currently stands at 57%.
