U.S. President contends Ukrainian President has failed to negotiate a resolution to the war, citing recent discussions regarding a Saudi meeting.
In a recent interview with Fox News Radio, U.S. President
Donald Trump expressed skepticism regarding the necessity of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's participation in negotiations aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which has persisted for over three years.
Trump asserted that Zelensky has not succeeded in bringing the war to a conclusion, stating, "I don’t think it’s very important that he participate in the meetings, to be honest." His comments were reported by various news outlets citing the interview.
Trump's remarks came in light of an American-Russian meeting held in Saudi Arabia, where Zelensky was notably not invited.
The President characterized the absence of an invitation as a reflection of Zelensky's past negotiation efforts, which he deemed inadequate.
Furthermore, Trump reiterated his belief that both his predecessor,
Joe Biden, and Zelensky could have averted the war's outbreak.
In the interview, Trump referred to Zelensky as a "dictator" for his unwillingness to hold elections, despite the fact that Ukrainian law prohibits elections during wartime, as the country is currently under martial law.
This criticism coincides with a backdrop of intensified scrutiny over the U.S. financial support provided to Ukraine.
Trump mentioned that the United States has contributed approximately $500 billion to Ukraine, although recently he revised that figure to around $350 billion during his statements.
Moreover, he proposed that Ukraine initiated the conflict and emphasized the need for elections within the country.
In response to Trump’s assertions about his popularity, Zelensky defended himself, citing recent surveys indicating a 57% approval rating, countering Trump's claim of only 4% support.
Zelensky remarked that any attempts to unseat him at this juncture would not be successful, highlighting the discrepancies between the two leaders' accounts of the situation in Ukraine.