A man wearing a satirical mask of Russian President Vladimir Putin stands in protest; a man wearing a satirical mask of US President Donald Trump stands at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, February 20, 2025. Photo: Reuters
The US president on Wednesday dispelled any doubts about Donald Trump’s views on the war in Ukraine and US support for Kiev’s fight against Russia.
Donald Trump on Wednesday called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a “dictator” and accused him of corruption. Less than three years ago, Zelensky was praised and cheered by the US Congress for resisting Russian aggression.
Trump said Zelensky wanted to keep the “juicy train” of foreign aid flowing. The comments came a day after he blamed Ukraine, not Russia, for starting the war.
“Zelensky should act quickly or he will have no country,” Trump wrote.
This comes just over a week after a long phone call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump is now echoing Russia’s rhetoric about the war and the Ukrainian president.
The Russian ambassador to the UK, Andrei Kaelin, has praised the Trump administration’s handling of the Ukraine war.
“For the first time, we’ve noticed that they’re not saying that this is Russian propaganda and disinformation. They’re listening to what we’re saying,” Kaelin told BBC Newsnight.
US President Donald Trump with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine File photo: Reuters
This sudden change in US foreign policy is indeed dramatic. But it is not surprising. Trump has been expressing such an attitude for several years.
His latest comments portray a US president who has complete control over all the powers of his own party and government. Using these powers, he can make a foreign policy of “America first” — a give-and-take policy — a reality.
Trump’s latest words against Zelensky come at a time when he has publicly rejected a US proposal to own and profit from Ukraine’s mineral resources.
Zelensky said, “This is not an urgent negotiation. I cannot sell our country.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a press conference. Kiev, February 19, 2025 Photo: AFP
The US president, however, seems keen to reduce his pledge of military aid to Europe.
Trump had been critical of the massive US military aid to Ukraine since before his landslide victory in the presidential election last November. At the time, he called Zelensky “the best salesman of all time.”
The voters who elected Trump may not have given much thought to the Ukraine war or foreign policy at the time. Even if voters did not, Trump’s current position was not a commitment or commitment to his election. However, during the election campaign, his opponents attacked him for his stance on the issue.
Trump now wants to overturn international norms. He wants to push the limits of US power on the world stage, just as he is doing at home by cutting federal government staff and increasing the president’s authority. Yet, at least for now, there is little opposition to him within Trump’s own party.
A couple of Republican senators expressed displeasure after Trump posted the controversial post on social media on Wednesday.
“I certainly wouldn’t call President Zelensky a dictator,” said Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski.
