During a press conference on Thursday, former President Donald Trump acknowledged that his relationship with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “maybe got a bit testy” amid negotiations to resolve the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. This statement comes just a day ahead of Zelenskyy’s visit to the U.S. to formalize a mineral agreement. Trump, however, downplayed inquiries regarding whether he still regards Zelenskyy as a “dictator.”
Key Facts
“Um, did I say that? I can’t believe I said that. Next question,” Trump responded when asked about his previous claim calling Zelenskyy a dictator, which he posted on Truth Social on February 19. This remark referenced Ukraine’s absence of elections since Russia’s invasion began. In that post, Trump criticized the aid provided by President Joe Biden to Ukraine, labeling Zelenskyy as “a Dictator without Elections.”
This statement from Trump followed Zelenskyy’s remarks to the media, where he urged the Trump administration to be more honest, commenting that Trump “lives in this disinformation space” generated by Russia. During the same press conference, Trump maintained that his relationship with Zelenskyy had been “very good,” although he remarked it “maybe got a little bit testy” due to his allegations that European nations received reimbursements for their aid to Ukraine while the U.S. did not. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, present at the conference, corrected Trump, stating that the U.S. is “not getting all of our” funds back from Ukraine since most of it was “gifted.” Trump also asserted that NATO membership for Ukraine is “not going to happen.”
What To Watch For
Zelenskyy is slated to visit the White House on Friday to sign a significant agreement where Ukraine will contribute 50% of proceeds from its state-owned mineral resources to a fund co-owned with the United States.
Key Background
The relationship between Trump and Zelenskyy has recently faced strains after Trump mentioned having a “highly productive phone call” with Russian President Vladimir Putin, discussing a shared interest in ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Following the call, Trump said he also had a favorable conversation with Zelenskyy. Nonetheless, Zelenskyy expressed Ukraine’s unwillingness to accept a peace agreement involving only Trump and Russia. Trump has made several disputed claims regarding the conflict, including the assertion that Ukraine instigated the war and that Zelenskyy has an approval rating of just 4%. Recent polls indicate that about 57% of Ukrainians trust Zelenskyy. Trump has repeatedly criticized the Biden administration’s level of support for Ukraine, asserting that the war would not have commenced had he been president in 2022.
