Russian leaders have commended U.S. President Donald Trump following his sharp criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in which he labelled him a “dictator” and urged him to negotiate peace with Russia quickly.
Among those praising Trump was Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council, who expressed surprise at Trump’s stance. “If you’d told me just three months ago that these were the words of the U.S. president, I would have laughed out loud,” Medvedev wrote on X (formerly Twitter), calling Trump’s remarks “200 per cent right” and referring to Zelensky as a “bankrupt clown.”
Similarly, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov welcomed Trump’s claim that past U.S. policies—particularly efforts to bring Ukraine into NATO—contributed to the ongoing conflict.
Lavrov stated that Trump is “the first and only Western leader” to acknowledge this perspective, suggesting that the former administration’s approach provoked tensions between Kyiv and Moscow.
Trump’s remarks come as tensions between Washington and European allies grow over his approach to resolving the war.
The U.S. president has positioned himself as the only leader capable of brokering peace but has drawn criticism for suggesting terms that favour Russia.
On Truth Social, Trump accused Zelensky of being a “dictator without elections” due to Ukraine suspending elections amid the war.
He further blamed President Joe Biden and European nations for failing to secure peace, adding that Kyiv seems interested in keeping the U.S. financial aid “gravy train” running.
Trump also reiterated his belief that Ukraine was responsible for starting the war, a claim widely dismissed by Western leaders. Zelensky rebuffed Trump’s accusations in response, stating that Ukraine remains strong and committed to its sovereignty.
“I am counting on Ukrainian unity, our courage … on the unity of Europe and the pragmatism of America,” Zelensky said in his nightly video address.
The latest exchange highlights the widening divide between Trump’s stance on Ukraine, the Biden administration, and European allies as the war enters its third year with no clear resolution in sight.
