Amid war of words, Trump calls Zelenskyy a 'dictator without elections'

Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to meet with Trump's envoy, Keith Kellogg, in an effort to engage in constructive discussions. However, the Ukrainian President remains skeptical of negotiations

As the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues, tensions have intensified between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy.  

 

On Wednesday (February 19), Trump warned Zelenskyy that he “better move fast” to negotiate an end to Russia’s invasion or risk losing Ukraine altogether. Trump’s remarks come in the wake of an escalating exchange between the two leaders, coinciding with growing tensions between Washington and European allies over Trump’s approach to resolving the largest European conflict since World War II.  

 

Earlier, Vice President JD Vance advised that anyone familiar with Trump would caution Zelenskyy against criticising him publicly, calling such actions an "atrocious" strategy for dealing with the US administration. The situation intensified when Zelenskyy accused Trump of operating within a "disinformation space" influenced by Russia. Trump's criticism of Ukraine also included claims that Zelenskyy's approval ratings were as low as four per cent.  

 

 

Trump vs Zelenskyy: Who said what?

 

Reacting to Trump's remark on his "low" approval ratings, Zelenskyy had said, "Unfortunately, President Trump – I have great respect for him as a leader of a nation that we have great respect for, the American people who always support us – unfortunately lives in this disinformation space."  

 

Subsequently, Trump, who has pushed for an end to the war under terms Kyiv deems too favorable to Moscow, took to his Truth Social platform to attack Zelenskyy, calling him a “dictator without elections”. He further argued that Ukraine entered an unwinnable war and suggested that Zelenskyy persuaded the US to provide financial aid without any return on investment.  

 

"Zelenskyy admits that half of the money we sent him is ‘MISSING.’ He refuses to have Elections, is very low in Ukrainian Polls, and the only thing he was good at was playing Biden ‘like a fiddle.’ A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left. In the meantime, we are successfully negotiating an end to the War with Russia, something all admit only ‘TRUMP,’ and the Trump Administration, can do. Biden never tried, Europe has failed to bring Peace, and Zelenskyy probably wants to keep the ‘gravy train’ going. I love Ukraine, but Zelenskyy has done a terrible job, his Country is shattered, and MILLIONS have unnecessarily died – And so it continues….." Trump wrote on Truth Social.   

 

It is important to note that Ukraine postponed its elections, originally planned for April 2024, due to Russia’s invasion in February 2022. According to the US special inspector general overseeing aid to Ukraine, the United States has allocated approximately $183 billion in assistance since the war began.  

 

Earlier, Trump slammed Zelenskyy during a meeting in Miami attended by business executives, describing the Ukrainian president as an "incompetent" leader. On Wednesday, Trump escalated his attacks, accusing Zelenskyy of being a poor negotiator, holding him responsible for the prolonged conflict.  

 

Zelenskyy's frustration grew after Ukraine was excluded from US-Russia peace talks in Riyadh, where officials discussed potential solutions to the war. The talks, viewed as a significant diplomatic step, did not involve Ukraine, leading Zelenskyy to reject any agreements made without Kyiv’s input.  

 

Responding to Ukraine’s exclusion, Trump dismissed the objections, asserting that Kyiv should have already ended the war.  

 

"Today I heard, 'oh, we weren’t invited.' Well, you've been there for three years. You should have ended it. You should have never started it. You could have made a deal," Trump stated.  

 

This exchange followed a high-level meeting between US and Russian officials in Riyadh, where discussions centered on negotiating a resolution to the war. Despite Zelenskyy's insistence that Ukraine should be included in such discussions, neither Ukrainian nor European representatives were present.  

 

Trump, who has promised to quickly end the war if re-elected, reaffirmed his belief that Zelenskyy should have sought a negotiated settlement earlier. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy remained firm in his opposition to any deals that excluded Ukraine from the decision-making process.  

 

Looking ahead, Zelenskyy is expected to meet with Trump’s envoy, Keith Kellogg, in an effort to engage in constructive discussions. However, the Ukrainian President remains skeptical of negotiations that bypass Kyiv or compromise Ukraine’s resistance against Russian aggression.  

 

Trump vs Zelenskyy: International reactions  

 

The escalating confrontation between Trump and Zelenskyy has drawn reactions from global leaders. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer defended Zelenskyy, affirming his legitimacy as a democratic leader. Scholz described Trump’s comments as “dangerous”, while Starmer supported Ukraine’s decision to suspend elections during wartime.   

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the US-Russia talks, calling them a positive step forward. Putin also suggested the possibility of a future summit with Trump, provided there is adequate preparation. Ukraine’s exclusion from these negotiations has raised concerns about potential agreements favoring Moscow.