Trump's statements about Ukraine: Zelenskyj hits back at US President

RND - Editorial Network Germany Trump's statements about Ukraine: Zelenskyj hits back at US President 1 hour • 2 minutes reading time After US President Donald Trump's crude statements about Ukraine and its President Volodymyr Zelenskyj, the Ukrainian head of state responded with harsh words. On Wednesday, Zelenskyj accused the US President in front of reporters of believing false information spread by Russia. The Ukrainian President was referring primarily to Trump's claim that his approval ratings were in the basement and that his approval rating was only four percent. "We noticed this disinformation. We know that it comes from Russia," commented Zelenskyj, adding that Trump lives "in this disinformation space." Trump caused irritation on Tuesday with numerous statements about Ukraine and its President. The US President also warned - like Moscow - that new elections were necessary in Ukraine. There have been no elections there for a long time because martial law applies, Trump complained. Russia is not the only one saying that. The Russian government has long questioned Zelensky's legitimacy. Russia argues that his term of office expired in May last year and that new elections are necessary in Ukraine. Kiev, on the other hand, emphasizes that Zelensky's powers remain in force under the current martial law. Trump blames Zelensky for Ukraine war Trump's most blatant accusation, however, was blaming the Ukrainian president for Russia's war of aggression against his country - a very obvious false claim. There is "a leadership in Ukraine that allowed a war that should never have happened," Trump said during an appearance at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. He later claimed of the Ukrainian leadership and Zelensky in relation to the war: "You should never have started it." With regard to Zelensky, Trump continued: "I like him personally, he's fine." But it's not about personal sympathies, it's about "getting the job done." Trump mocks Ukraine complaint Trump reacted mockingly to criticism from Ukraine that the country had not been invited to a meeting between the US and Russia in Saudi Arabia. "I heard today: Oh, we weren't invited," said the Republican, adding: "Well, you've been here for three years." The war should have ended long ago, he warned, and continued to complain: "You should never have started it. You could have made a deal." During his appearance, Trump also claimed that he could have negotiated a deal for Ukraine. After that, they would have gotten "almost the whole country," "and no people would have been killed and no city would have been destroyed." What exactly he meant by that remained unclear. Ukraine has been fending off a Russian invasion for three years with the help of Western arms deliveries. Shortly after taking office, Trump personally contacted Russian President Vladimir Putin, who started the war. The two agreed to start talks on a possible peace agreement. The foreign ministers of both countries met in Saudi Arabia to prepare for this. Ukraine and its European allies have so far been left out of Trump's solo effort.