Donald Trump continued his onslaught on Volodymyr Zelenskyy, branding the Ukrainian president a “dictator without elections” in his latest attack on Kyiv’s leadership. Posting on Truth Social, the US president warned that Zelenskyy “better move fast or he is not going to have a country left.” His remarks come amid rising tensions between Washington and Kyiv, with Trump advocating for a swift end to the conflict while criticising European nations for their handling of the crisis.
“Zelenskyy admits that half of the money we sent him is “MISSING.” He refuses to have Elections, is very low in Ukrainian Polls, and the only thing he was good at was playing Biden “like a fiddle.” A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left,” Trump wrote.
Trump accused Zelenskyy of mismanaging the war and claimed that millions had “unnecessarily died” under his leadership. He also took a swipe at European countries, arguing that the conflict in Ukraine is “far more important to Europe than it is to us.” He blamed European nations for failing to secure peace, suggesting that the US, with its geographic distance, had less at stake in the ongoing war.
“In the meantime, we are successfully negotiating an end to the War with Russia, something all admit only “TRUMP,” and the Trump Administration, can do. Biden never tried, Europe has failed to bring Peace, and Zelenskyy probably wants to keep the “gravy train” going,” the US President wrote.
Zelenskyy’s term officially ended in May last year, but under martial law imposed since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, elections have been suspended. Trump’s remarks echoed previous statements in which he suggested that Ukraine should hold elections as part of a broader settlement with Russia. During a press conference, he claimed that Ukraine had not held an election in “a long time” and argued that his position was independent of Russian influence.
Trump’s latest attack comes as the relationship between Washington and Kyiv continues to sour. The Ukrainian leader has fired back, accusing Trump of falling for Russian disinformation. “Unfortunately, President Trump… lives in this disinformation space,” Zelenskyy said during a press conference in Kyiv. He also suggested that Washington’s approach under Trump had emboldened Moscow, stating, “I believe that the United States helped Putin to break out of years of isolation.”