Categories: World

Putin’s joy: Trump tears into ‘dictator’ Zelensky, doubles down on criticism

FILE - U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the end of a news conference at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland, on July 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)

President Donald Trump has intensified his criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, calling him a “dictator without elections” and blaming him for prolonging the war with Russia.

Trump: Zelensky ‘Talked’ U.S. Into $350 Billion War

In a fiery post on Truth Social, Trump slammed Zelensky, writing: “Think of it, a modestly successful comedian, Volodymyr Zelensky, talked the United States of America into spending $350 billion to go into a war that couldn’t be won, that never had to start.”

Trump went further, accusing Zelensky of mismanaging U.S. aid: “On top of this, Zelensky admits that half of the money we sent him is ‘missing.’ He refuses to hold elections, is very low in Ukrainian polls, and the only thing he was good at was playing Biden ‘like a fiddle.’”

Zelensky Left Out of U.S.-Russia Talks

Trump’s remarks come after the U.S. began negotiations with Russia in Saudi Arabia—without Ukraine’s participation. While European leaders have criticized Kyiv’s exclusion, Trump brushed off complaints.

“And now they’re saying, ‘Oh, we weren’t invited.’ Well, you’ve been there for three years. You should have ended it—three years, you should have never started it,” Trump said at Mar-a-Lago.

Trump Pushes for New Elections in Ukraine

Trump also revealed that he supports the idea of Ukraine holding elections before any peace deal is finalized—a move widely seen as a potential opening for a pro-Russian government.

“We have a situation where we haven’t had elections in Ukraine, where we have martial law… The country has been blown to smithereens, cities are in ruins, and yet there’s no democratic process,” he said.

Talks With Russia ‘Going Very Well’

Despite ongoing Russian attacks on Ukraine, Trump expressed confidence in the negotiations. He praised a recent meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian officials, calling it “very good.”

“Russia wants to do something. They want to stop the savage barbarianism,” he claimed, even as Moscow launched new drone strikes on Kyiv.

U.S. and Russia Eye Energy Cooperation

Amid the talks, reports have emerged that U.S. and Russian officials are discussing potential cooperation on Arctic oil drilling. Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia’s Direct Investment Fund, told Politico that both sides explored “specific areas of cooperation.”

Trump’s push for a quick peace deal—while Ukraine remains sidelined—marks a stark shift from the Biden administration’s approach. With negotiations underway, the question remains: Will Trump broker a deal, or is Ukraine being forced into a settlement on Moscow’s terms?

Herbert Bauernebel

Herbert Bauernebel has been reporting from New York since 1999 and currently works for Bild.de, OE24 TV, and US Live. He also runs the news portal AmerikaReport.de. Bauernebel has covered nearly all major US events of the past quarter-century, including 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, Barack Obama’s election, Donald Trump’s surprise victory, the pandemic, last year’s election showdown, as well as natural disasters such as hurricanes and oil spills. He has also reported firsthand on international events, including the Asian tsunami, the Haiti earthquake, and the Fukushima disaster. He lives in Brooklyn with his family and holds degrees in communication and political science from the University of Vienna. Bauernebel is the author of a book about his experiences on 9/11, And the Air Was Full of Ash: 9/11 – The Day That Changed My Life.