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On 27 February 2025, at the White House, during a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, former US President Donald Trump expressed surprise at his previous statements about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In particular, he could not remember calling the Ukrainian leader a dictator.
“Did I say that?” – Trump on his statements about Zelensky
During the press conference, a BBC journalist asked Trump a direct question about whether he still considered Zelenskyy a dictator. The answer was short and demonstrably evasive:
“Did I say that? I can’t believe I would say that. Next question,” Trump said.
However, last week he did publicly refer to Ukraine’s president as a dictator several times. He also urged him to “act quickly” if Ukraine wanted to preserve its independence. Zelenskyy, for his part, said he was not offended by such statements.
Sanctions against Russia: Trump extends state of emergency
Despite his ambiguous statements about Zelenskyy, Trump extended the state of emergency in the United States, which was introduced in 2014 due to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. The relevant executive order will be officially published in the US Federal Register on 28 February.
This state of emergency was first introduced on 6 March 2014 by a decree of the then US President Barack Obama. It provides for sanctions restrictions against Russia, which were subsequently expanded:
– 21 February 2022, after Russia recognised the self-proclaimed L/DPR;
– December 2014 and September 2018 – additional sanctions measures against individuals and companies involved in the aggression against Ukraine.
Trump’s new executive order states:
“The actions and policies described in these orders continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.”
Thus, the state of emergency has been extended for another year – until 6 March 2026.
What does this mean?
The continuation of the US sanctions regime against Russia is a signal that Washington maintains a tough policy towards the Kremlin. At the same time, Trump’s controversial statements about Zelenskyy could have political implications, especially given the upcoming US presidential election.
