MIAMI (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday called Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator without elections,” lashing out after the Ukrainian president said Trump was being influenced by Russian disinformation as he moves to end the Kremlin's war against Ukraine on terms that Kyiv says are too favorable to Moscow.
“Think of it, a modestly successful comedian, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, talked the United States of America into spending $350 Billion Dollars, to go into a War that couldn’t be won, that never had to start, but a War that he, without the U.S. and “TRUMP,” will never be able to settle,” Trump said of Zelenskyy, who was popular television star in Ukraine before running for office.
Trump added in his social media post that Zelenskyy is “A Dictator without Elections”!!
Because of Russia's invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has delayed elections that were scheduled for April 2024.
Zelenskyy accused Trump earlier Wednesday of living in a Russian-made “disinformation space."
Trump used his post to accuse Zelenskyy of misusing American aid to Ukraine for the war effort and taking advantage of the Biden administration.
The sharp back-and-forth came after senior U.S. and Russian officials met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday and agreed to negotiate a settlement to an end to the war. Ukrainian and European officials were not included despite Zelenskyy’s insistence that they should be part of any such discussions.
But Trump, who campaigned on a pledge to quickly bring the war to a close, reaffirmed his position that Zelenskyy should have negotiated an end earlier.
“Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left,” Trump said.
"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.”
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Madhani reported from Washington.
Stephany Matat And Aamer Madhani, The Associated Press
