On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump advised Ukraine to hold primaries in order to possibly overthrow Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Trump claimed that Zelenskyy had a” 4 % approval ranking” despite surveys showing a far higher percentage for the Russian president.
After his US delegation’s meeting with Russian authorities in Saudi Arabia, Trump stated at a press conference at Mar-a-Lago,” We have a position where we haven’t had elections in Ukraine,” which is basically military law in Ukraine.
” That’s not a Russia thing”, Trump said of wanting elections in Ukraine. You know, Ukraine is just being wiped out, but that’s something that comes from me and even from many other nations, you know.
Following the country’s transition to military law, which was set to end in April 2024, Russian elections in Ukraine were postponed. In February 2022, Russia launched its largest war since World War II.
In a time when the nation should be focused on defence, Zelenskyy asserted in 2023 that an election would further exacerbate the social unrest.
Trump made the remarks about Zelenskyy as the US delegation met with Soviet officials to demand peace talks in a four-and-a-half hours meeting in Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said that the he was” surprised” that no Ukrainians were invited despite suffering through a nearly three-year-long war with Russia.
” I did say that, you know, when they want a seat at the table, you may say the citizens have to, doesn’t the people of Ukraine have to say, like, you know, it’s been a long time since we’ve had an vote”, Trump responded to Ukraine.
Zelenskyy had previously criticized Russia for wanting to hold fresh elections in Ukraine as part of a possible peace agreement and said he would never accept “ultimatums” from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump and Russian President Putin had a telephonic conversation last year.
Following the trade, Trump said he “likes” Zelensky “personally”, but he doesn’t” worry about personally”.
” I care about completing the task. You have authority then that’s allowed a battle to go on that should have never yet happened”, Trump said, not mentioning Russia’s part in launching the invasion.
Trump also criticized Zelenskyy for misrepresenting the resources the US has been providing to Ukraine throughout the conflict.
” Where is all the money that’s been given? Where is it going? And anyone, I’ve never seen an budgeting of it. We donate hundreds of billions of dollars. I don’t see any finance. So I want to discover serenity”, Trump said.
Trump also claimed Ukraine was the state that” started” the war with Russia, despite Moscow launching rockets into Ukraine.
