NAIROBI, Kenya- Donald Trump is stirring the pot—again.
The U.S. president, fresh off a Saudi-backed investment conference in Florida, doubled down on his claim that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is a “dictator” while insisting that Russia holds the key to ending the war in Ukraine.
Flying back to Washington, D.C., Trump told the BBC that Moscow has the upper hand in any potential peace deal because it has “taken a lot of territory.”
He also declared that he trusts Russia wants peace, despite its full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago.
Zelensky pushes back on Trump with facts, not rhetoric.Zelensky: The U.S. has provided Ukraine with $67 billion in military aid and $31 billion in budget support.Trump’s $500 billion fossil fuel claim isn’t a serious conversation. 1/
Russia ‘Holds the Cards’—Trump’s Controversial Take on Peace Talks
In an interview aboard Air Force One, Trump suggested that Russia is now in a stronger position to negotiate an end to the war.
“I think the Russians want to see the war end, I really do,” he said. “I think they have the cards a little bit, because they’ve taken a lot of territory. They have the cards.”
“You should have never started it” — Trump to Ukraine, which very much did not start the war
When asked if he truly believes Moscow wants peace, Trump’s response was clear: “I do.”
His comments come just after high-level U.S.-Russia talks took place in Saudi Arabia—without Ukraine at the table.
The closed-door discussions have fueled speculation over Washington’s shifting approach, with Zelensky himself calling out the meeting as a space for Russian “disinformation.”
Trump vs. Zelensky: The War of Words Escalates
Trump’s “dictator” remark wasn’t just a one-time jab. After posting it on Truth Social, he repeated it during his Florida speech, slamming Zelensky for not holding elections amid the ongoing war.
“He refuses to have elections. He’s low in the real Ukrainian polls. How can you be high with every city being demolished?” Trump said.
What’s the reality? Ukraine has been under martial law since February 2022, meaning elections are legally suspended due to the war.
And while Trump claimed Zelensky’s approval rating is a dismal 4pc, polling this month by BBC Verify found that 57pc of Ukrainians still trust their leader.
The backlash was swift. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called Trump’s remarks “wrong and dangerous,” defending Zelensky’s democratic legitimacy.
European leaders, wary of Trump’s past praise for Putin, are watching closely as he continues to shake up the narrative on Ukraine.
President Trump continues his attacks on Ukraine’s President.. calling him a dictator… and pushes a lie he started the war. We’re Keeping Them Honest.
Blaming Ukraine for the War? Trump’s Take Sparks Outrage
If Trump’s comments weren’t already controversial enough, he then suggested Ukraine itself is partly to blame for the war.
“You should have never started it. You could have made a deal.”
The statement quickly drew sharp criticism, given that Russia launched the full-scale invasion in 2022, igniting the most significant European conflict since World War II.
The real game being played—Trump is part of a Kremlin-backed attempt to shift blame onto Ukraine for a war Putin started.
Zelensky didn’t hold back. “With all due respect to President Donald Trump as a leader… he is living in this disinformation space,” the Ukrainian president fired back.
Trump’s latest remarks signal a potential shift in U.S. foreign policy, should he return to office.
His stance on Russia, Ukraine, and Zelensky’s leadership is already raising eyebrows in Washington, Kyiv, and across Europe.
With the 2024 U.S. election approaching, his comments could have lasting implications for Ukraine aid, NATO dynamics, and global security.