"Trump Labels Ukrainian President Zelenskyy a 'Dictator' in Social Media Post"

 

Former President Donald Trump criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a Truth Social post on Wednesday, calling him "a dictator without elections." The remark escalates tensions between the two leaders, coming just a day after U.S. and Russian officials met—without Ukraine—to discuss possible terms for ending Russia’s three-year-long invasion.

"He refuses to have elections, is very low in Ukrainian polls, and the only thing he was good at was playing (former President Joe) Biden ‘like a fiddle.’ A dictator without elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a country left," Trump wrote.

Zelenskyy had previously canceled Ukraine's 2024 spring elections, citing the ongoing war and martial law restrictions under the Ukrainian Constitution as reasons why a vote could not be held at this time.

Trump Escalates Criticism of Zelenskyy, Claims Ukrainian President Has Low Approval Ratings

Former President Donald Trump continued his criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday, claiming Zelenskyy would not win if an election were held and falsely asserting that his approval rating in Ukraine was as low as 4%. However, a new opinion poll released Wednesday by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology showed that 57% of Ukrainians trust their president.

Zelenskyy dismissed Trump’s remarks, attributing them to Russian disinformation. “We have seen this disinformation. We understand that it is coming from Russia,” Zelenskyy told reporters Wednesday. He added that Trump “lives in this disinformation space.”

A Shift in U.S. Stance?

Trump’s recent comments, including an accusation that Ukraine initiated the war with Russia and his willingness to negotiate with Russia without Ukrainian officials present, mark a departure from the United States’ long-standing position on the conflict. His remarks have caused alarm in Ukraine and among European allies.

Since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, the U.S. and a coalition of over 50 nations have sent billions of dollars in military aid and supplies to help Ukraine defend itself. President Joe Biden reaffirmed U.S. support during a surprise visit to Ukraine in 2023, and Congress has consistently approved funding for Ukraine’s defense.

This week, U.S. officials met with Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia to discuss potential terms for ending the war, notably excluding Ukraine and other European nations from the talks. Separately, French President Emmanuel Macron met with European leaders on Monday to discuss the ongoing conflict.

In his Truth Social post, Trump also took credit for efforts to end the war and suggested that Zelenskyy is prolonging the conflict for financial gain, stating that the Ukrainian leader “probably wants to keep the ‘gravy train’ going.”