U.S. President Donald Trump warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that he must “move fast” to negotiate an end to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine or risk losing the country he leads, according to The Associated Press on February 20.
Trump’s remarks come amid growing tensions between Washington and Europe, as well as an ongoing exchange of criticism between the two leaders.
Trump reiterated his view that Zelenskyy missed an opportunity for earlier negotiations, warning that “Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a country left.”
In his remarks, Trump further argued that only his administration could bring an end to the war, adding that both the Biden administration and Europe have failed in their attempts to do so. “Biden never tried, Europe has failed to bring peace, and Zelenskyy probably wants to keep the ‘gravy train’ going,” Trump stated.
Trump’s criticism of Zelenskyy has drawn backlash from both Democrats and some Republicans, where the defense of Ukraine against Russian aggression had previously seen bipartisan support.
In response to Trump’s remarks, Zelenskyy accused him of falling into a Russian disinformation trap. This led to Vice President JD Vance stating the risks of publicly challenging the U.S. administration.
Trump, who has advocated for a resolution to the war on terms that Kyiv finds too favorable to Moscow, took to his Truth Social platform to lash out at Zelenskyy, calling him a “dictator without elections.”
Trump’s words further inflamed tensions, especially when he repeated his criticism during a speech in Miami to business executives hosted by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.
He accused Zelenskyy of misusing U.S. aid intended for the war effort, claiming that the Ukrainian leader had exploited the Biden administration.
On the U.S. side, Senate leaders have voiced concerns over Trump’s stance. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer condemned Trump’s comments, calling it “disgusting” to side with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Republican Senator John Kennedy disagreed with Trump’s view that Ukraine was responsible for Russia’s war against Ukriane, reaffirming that it was Putin who initiated the war.
Earlier, Ukrainian officials met in Kyiv with retired U.S. Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, who emphasized the importance of ending the war and mitigating its human toll.
