Donald Trump has recently made controversial statements regarding the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, placing the blame for the war on Ukraine itself rather than on Russia. Speaking at a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate on February 18, 2025, Trump asserted that Ukraine “should have never started” the war and suggested that President Volodymyr Zelensky could have negotiated a deal to prevent the conflict from escalating. He claimed that if Ukraine had acted differently, they could have avoided significant loss of life and territorial devastation123.
Trump’s remarks came in response to Zelensky’s frustration over being excluded from U.S.-Russia peace talks held in Saudi Arabia. The Ukrainian president expressed disappointment at not having a seat at the table while discussions about Ukraine’s future were taking place. In his comments, Trump criticized Zelensky for his leadership and approval ratings, stating that he had “three years” to resolve the conflict and implying that he failed to do so456.
The former president went further by echoing Russian demands for elections in Ukraine, questioning Zelensky’s legitimacy amid claims of martial law in the country. He inaccurately stated that Zelensky’s approval rating was as low as 4%, despite recent polls indicating that a majority of Ukrainians still support their president24. Trump’s comments have drawn criticism and concern from various quarters, particularly regarding their potential implications for U.S. foreign policy and support for Ukraine39.
Overall, Trump’s statements reflect a significant shift in rhetoric towards Ukraine, aligning more closely with narratives often promoted by Russia, which could have serious ramifications for international relations and the ongoing conflict.
Citations:
- https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-ukraine-russia-zelensky-putin-b2700679.html
- https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/world-int/26166-trump-blames-ukraine-for-starting-war-with-russia.html
- https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/18/politics/donald-trump-putin-ukraine-analysis/index.html
- https://novayagazeta.eu/articles/2025/02/19/trump-blames-ukraine-for-starting-war-after-zelensky-pushes-back-against-kyivs-exclusion-from-peace-talks-en-news
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/politics/trump-blames-ukraine-for-war-after-us-russia-talks/2025/02/19/6bdfffad-a24b-4894-94df-93ea9949ae3b_video.html
- https://www.financialexpress.com/world-news/trump-says-ukraine-could-have-made-a-deal-earlier/3754005/
- https://www.euronews.com/2025/02/19/trump-says-ukraine-never-should-have-started-war-with-russia-following-us-russia-talks-in-
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- https://www.itv.com/news/2025-02-18/trump-all-for-european-troops-being-deployed-in-ukraine-to-safeguard-peace
- https://www.ft.com/content/2506b4ae-52f3-4adb-9dd2-7f07a153316d
- https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/brussels-playbook/macron-hosts-more-crisis-talks-after-trump-blames-ukraine/
- https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20250219-live-trump-criticises-zelensky-suggests-he-could-meet-putin-by-month-s-end
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56ee82E_7YA
- https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-says-ukraine-never-started-003148811.html
- https://www.facebook.com/ANINEWS.IN/videos/you-should-have-never-started-it-us-president-donald-trump-blames-zelenskyy-for-/1197234915341278/
- https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/18/trump-blames-zelenskyy-ukraine-war-020517
- https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/2/19/trump-says-he-will-probably-meet-putin-this-month-hits-out-at-ukraine
- https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd0n5e1pdz9o
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- https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-latest-russian-drone-attack-leaves-much-of-odesa-without-power-as-trump-blames-ukraine-over-war-12541713
- https://kyivindependent.com/massive-demolition-site-trump-claims-ukraine-in-ruins-while-pressing-zelensky-to-hold-elections/
- https://theconversation.com/trump-wants-to-do-a-deal-for-ukraines-critical-minerals-will-zelensky-give-him-what-he-wants-or-will-putin-250064
- https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/18/world/middleeast/ukraine-trump-russia-war-peace-talks.html
- https://www.axios.com/2025/02/18/trump-criticizes-zelensky-putin
- https://kyivindependent.com/making-sense-of-trumps-plan-if-there-is-one-to-end-russias-war-in-ukraine/
- https://uk.news.yahoo.com/never-started-trump-blames-ukraine-100000031.html
