Donald Trump asserted that he believes Russia is in a strong position in potential peace negotiations aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, stating that they “have the cards” due to their territorial gains. In an interview with the BBC, the former president expressed his confidence that Moscow is eager to see an end to the war, which began with a full-scale invasion nearly three years ago.
While returning to Washington, D.C., after addressing a Saudi-backed investment conference in Florida, Trump characterized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a “dictator” for the second time within a single day. This remark came in the wake of Zelensky’s criticism of U.S.-Russia discussions held in Saudi Arabia, from which Ukraine was notably excluded. Zelensky had accused Trump of operating within a “disinformation space” controlled by Moscow.
Trump’s views on Russian intentions
In his remarks on Air Force One, Trump stated,
“I think the Russians want to see the war end, I really do. I think they have the cards a little bit, because they’ve taken a lot of territory. They have the cards.”
When queried about his trust in Russia’s desire for peace, he replied affirmatively, saying, “I do.”
Trump’s comments were echoed by an official from the White House, who noted that his critical remarks about Zelensky were a direct reaction to the Ukrainian leader’s comments regarding disinformation. Trump criticized Zelensky’s leadership, asserting that the president is resistant to democratic processes, stating,
“He refuses to have elections. He’s low in the real Ukrainian polls. How can you be high with every city being demolished?”
Political implications and international reactions
As Zelensky’s term is set to conclude in May 2024, the situation is complicated by the ongoing martial law in Ukraine, which has been in place since Russia’s invasion commenced in February 2022, effectively suspending elections. Trump has attempted to highlight claims regarding Zelensky’s popularity, suggesting that the Ukrainian president’s approval rating is a mere 4%. However, recent polling from this month indicates that 57% of Ukrainians express trust in Zelensky.
Trump’s characterization of Zelensky as a dictator has drawn backlash from several European leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who emphasized that
“it is simply wrong and dangerous to deny President Zelensky his democratic legitimacy.”
Meanwhile, high-level U.S. and Russian officials recently engaged in their inaugural face-to-face discussions since the onset of the full-scale invasion, with Ukraine notably absent from these talks.
Trump also attributed some blame to Ukraine for the conflict, stating,
“you should have never started it. You could have made a deal.”
In response, Zelensky refuted this assertion, accusing Russia of dishonesty during the meeting.