U.S. President Donald Trump has launched a scathing attack on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, calling him a “modestly successful comedian” and a “terrible” leader who allegedly persuaded the United States to spend $350 billion on the war with Russia.
Trump claimed that Zelensky “talked the U.S. into funding a war that couldn’t be won”, while arguing that Europe has contributed $200 billion less than the U.S. and that European funds are guaranteed, whereas the U.S. will receive nothing in return.
“Why didn’t Sleepy Joe Biden demand equalization, considering this war is far more important to Europe than to us? We have a big, beautiful ocean as separation,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social and X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday.
His remarks came a day after U.S. and Russian officials held peace talks in Saudi Arabia, excluding Zelensky from negotiations.
Trump insisted that his administration alone could “successfully negotiate an end to the war with Russia.”
Taking further aim at both Biden and European leaders, Trump accused them of failing to bring peace and implied that Zelensky was deliberately prolonging the war for financial gain.
“Biden never tried, Europe has failed to bring peace, and Zelensky probably wants to keep the ‘gravy train’ going,” he wrote.
Trump further claimed that “the only thing Zelensky was good at was playing Biden like a fiddle.”
“I love Ukraine, but Zelensky has done a terrible job. His country is shattered, and MILLIONS have unnecessarily died – and so it continues…” Trump added.
The comments highlight growing tensions between Trump and the Ukrainian government, as the U.S. shifts its approach toward negotiations with Russia.
European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron.., are working together to coordinate a unified response to the ongoing conflict.
