President Donald Trump lashed out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday, blaming him for stalled peace talks with Russia in a fiery post on his Truth Social platform.
“Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is boasting on the front page of The Wall Street Journal that, ‘Ukraine will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea. There’s nothing to talk about here.’ This statement is very harmful to the Peace Negotiations with Russia in that Crimea was lost years ago under the auspices of President Barack Hussein Obama, and is not even a point of discussion,” Trump began.
“Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory but, if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired? The area also houses, for many years before ‘the Obama handover,’ major Russian submarine bases,” he continued. “It’s inflammatory statements like Zelenskyy’s that makes it so difficult to settle this War. He has nothing to boast about!
“The situation for Ukraine is dire — He can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country. I have nothing to do with Russia, but have much to do with wanting to save, on average, five thousand Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week, who are dying for no reason whatsoever,” the president’s post continued.
“The statement made by Zelenskyy today will do nothing but prolong the ‘killing field,’ and nobody wants that! We are very close to a Deal, but the man with ‘no cards to play’ should now, finally, GET IT DONE. I look forward to being able to help Ukraine, and Russia, get out of this Complete and Total MESS, that would have never started if I were President!” he concluded.
On Thursday, Trump also posted criticism of Russia following an apparent attack on the Ukrainian capital: “I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. Let’s get the Peace Deal DONE!”
In early March, Zelensky met with Trump and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office in what was reported to proceed an announcement about a cease-fire with Russia and the signing of a rare earth minerals deal with the U.S.
But the meeting turned chaotic after Zelensky appeared to balk and lecture the U.S. leaders about providing more aid. Days later, Trump slammed the Ukrainian leader for claiming that peace with Russia was “very far away,” warning Zelenskyy that America would “not put up with it for much longer.”
“This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky, and America will not put up with it for much longer!” Trump protested. “It is what I was saying, this guy doesn’t want there to be Peace as long as he has America’s backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelensky, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S. – Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking?”
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller also shredded Zelenskyy’s behavior during a Friday appearance on Fox News with host Jesse Watters.
“I don’t think anybody had any idea that Zelenskyy would be so impertinent, so disrespectful, so insulting to the United States of America,” Miller began.
“Look, this is one of the great moments in the history of American diplomacy, the way that President Trump and JD Vance stood up for American interests in the world stage, the way that President Trump defended Americans after years of being fleeced and abused and taken advantage of and taken for granted, millions of American hearts swelled with overflowing pride today to watch President Trump put Zelenskyy in his place,” he added.