Press service of the President of Ukraine / flickr.com / Trump White House
In a new interview with Fox News, former US President Donald Trump said that both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are partially responsible for the war. He criticised Zelenskyy for choosing resistance over striking a deal with the Kremlin at the beginning of the Russian invasion, The Kyiv Independent reports.
“Zelenskyy… should not have let this happen. He’s no angel,” Trump said, adding that he would have “easily made a deal”.
The former US leader, who met with Zelenskyy during the Paris summit in December, also noted that Ukraine is showing courage in its fight, but stressed that the war should be resolved diplomatically.
“We supplied equipment, and they (Ukrainians) had the courage to use it. But at the end of the day, this is a war that needs to be resolved,” Trump said.
Promises of a quick peace
Trump, who had repeatedly criticised the Biden administration for its support of Ukraine during the campaign, reiterated that if he had been president, a large-scale invasion would not have taken place. He accused the current administration of “provoking Putin” and allowing Russia to profit from high energy prices.
In his remarks, Trump also said that Russia had suffered 850,000 casualties, while Ukraine had suffered 700,000. Official figures released by Zelenskyy in December show 43,000 dead and 370,000 wounded on the Ukrainian side. Moscow does not disclose its losses.
Criticism and meeting plans
Trump also criticised his predecessor for not putting enough pressure on Europe to help Ukraine, falsely claiming that the US had spent “$200 billion more than Europe”. According to the US Congress, since 2022, $170 billion has been allocated to support Ukraine, of which more than $60 billion has been allocated for military assistance. The EU and its member states have allocated $145 billion in financial, military, and humanitarian aid.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian side reported that negotiations are underway for a meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy. The former US president also announced plans to discuss ending the war with Putin in the near future.
Moscow welcomed Trump’s proposal, but expressed doubts about a possible peace deal, saying it first wanted to understand the US position before starting any negotiations.
