Donald Trump called Volodymyr Zelensky a "dictator without elections," escalating tensions between the two leaders as Vladimir Putin announced that diplomatic relations with the US would be restored.
Tensions between President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky have been mounting amid Trump's shifting stance on Ukraine's war with Russia.
"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," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday.
Trump has repeatedly criticized American financial aid to Kyiv and has suggested that Ukraine should compensate the US through resource deals. Zelensky, in turn, accused Trump of being influenced by Russian disinformation, prompting the fiery response from Trump, in which he attacked Zelensky's leadership and questioned his legitimacy.
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 Posts on 𝕏 (@trump_repost) February 19, 2025
Trump's comments echoed Kremlin rhetoric, as he claimed that Zelensky had overstayed his term and refused to hold elections. However, under Ukrainian law, elections cannot be held while the country is under martial law due to the ongoing Russian invasion, the Daily Mail reported.
Zelensky refuted Trump's claims, pointing to polling data showing majority support for his leadership.
Meanwhile, as Trump criticized Ukraine, Russian President Putin announced that diplomatic relations with the US would be restored, a move seen as an effort to capitalize on Trump's remarks and drive a wedge between Washington and Kyiv.
JUST IN: 🇷🇺🇺🇸 Russia and the United States officially agree to restore diplomatic relations, President Putin says. pic.twitter.com/R2aqno7Ovm
— BRICS News (@BRICSinfo) February 19, 2025
The comments have drawn international backlash, with European leaders rallying behind Ukraine.
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