Donald Trump has launched yet another attack on Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukraine, this time accusing the Ukrainian leader of ‘boasting.’
In a post on Truth Social, the US president hit out at Zelensky, saying he was harming peace negotiations with Russia.
The comments were in relation to the Ukrainian president saying Ukraine would not legally recognise Russia’s occupation of Crimea as a condition in any peace deal.
Trump wrote: “Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is boasting on the front page of The Wall Street Journal that, ‘Ukraine will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea. There’s nothing to talk about here.'”
He said Zelensky’s words were “very harmful to the peace negotiations with Russia” because “Crimea was lost years ago under the auspices of Barack Obama.”
Trump added that Crimea was “not even a point of discussion” and accused Ukraine of not fighting for the territory when it was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.
Trump went on to say: “It’s inflammatory statements like Zelenskyy’s that makes it so difficult to settle this War. He has nothing to boast about! The situation for Ukraine is dire — He can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country.
“I have nothing to do with Russia, but have much to do with wanting to save, on average, five thousand Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week, who are dying for no reason whatsoever.”
Following Trump’s words, at least nine people were killed and 77 injured in a Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv.
This is not the first time Trump has suggested Ukraine and Zelensky started the conflict with Russia, which has now lasted more than three years.
Earlier this month, he accused Ukraine of starting the war, just a day after 35 people were killed in an attack by Putin’s forces.
In February, the president seemed to blame Ukraine for the war to last for three years, telling reporters the country should “never have started” the conflict.
His comments were widely called out for the lie they were, including by Sky News presenter Sophy Ridge.
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