Washington, D.C. – Former U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to backtrack on his previous statement referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a “dictator,” claiming he “can’t believe” he used the term—despite the comment still being visible on his Truth Social account.
During a press conference at the Oval Office alongside UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Trump was questioned about his earlier remarks on Zelensky. Appearing surprised, he responded: “Did I say that? I can’t believe I said that.” Metro.co.uk reports
However, Trump’s February 19 post on Truth Social, where he referred to Zelensky as a “dictator without elections”, remains publicly available.
Key Moments from the Meeting
The West Wing meeting was marked by lively exchanges as U.S. and British journalists shouted questions. Among the notable moments:
- Trump praised Sir Keir’s wife, Victoria, calling her a “beautiful, great woman” and telling the UK Prime Minister he was “very lucky”.
- Trump expressed confidence that Russia would not invade Ukraine again, stating: “When we have a deal, it’s going to be the deal.”
- Sir Keir contradicted both Trump and his Vice President JD Vance, asserting that European countries would not be repaid for their Ukraine support and reaffirming the UK’s stance on free speech.
- Trump jokingly asked Sir Keir: “Could you take on Russia by yourselves?” to which the Prime Minister laughed.
- The U.S. President appeared unfamiliar with AUKUS, the security alliance between the U.S., UK, and Australia.
- Addressing Ukraine’s territorial disputes, Trump stated: “We’re going to see if we can get it back, or get a lot of it back, for Ukraine if that’s possible.”
Trump Accepts Second UK State Visit
During the meeting, Sir Keir extended an official state visit invitation to Trump—an offer he described as “unprecedented.” The U.S. President accepted, confirming he would visit the UK in the “near future.”
Trump expressed his admiration for the country, saying: “It’s a very special place, and he’s a special man… I’ll be going there and we expect to see each other soon.”
Ukraine and European Security at the Forefront
With European security being a top agenda item, the UK Prime Minister has repeatedly stressed that a U.S. security backstop is crucial to prevent further Russian aggression.
However, Trump has signalled a more sympathetic stance toward Russia, previously blaming Kyiv for the 2022 invasion and referring to Zelensky as a “dictator.”
A positive development emerged during discussions on the Chagos Islands deal. The Labour government’s plan to transfer control of the islands to Mauritius has been met with fierce opposition from Conservative and Reform UK politicians.
However, Trump indicated he might support the deal: “We’re going to have some discussions… I have a feeling it’s going to work out very well.”
Strategic Approach to U.S.-UK Relations
Former National Security Adviser Lord Sedwill, speaking on the BBC’s Today programme, outlined three key objectives Sir Keir aimed to achieve from his meeting with Trump:
- Building a strong personal rapport with the former U.S. President, reinforcing their diplomatic relationship.
- Using Trump’s own negotiation strategies from The Art of the Deal, particularly the principle that “no deal is better than a bad deal”, in discussions about Ukraine.
- Highlighting the UK’s defense commitment, with the UK’s pledge to spend 3% of GDP on defense as a bargaining tool to strengthen U.S.-UK security ties.
As the transatlantic alliance faces fresh uncertainties, the UK Prime Minister’s meeting with Trump marks a pivotal moment in shaping future U.S.-UK relations and Ukraine’s security prospects.
