Donald Trump says he believes that Russia has “cards” in all peace talks to end the war in Ukraine because they “took many territory”.
The US President told the BBC that he trusts that Moscow wants to see the end of the war that Russia began when it began a full -scale invasion almost three years ago.
Trump flew back to Washington after talking about a Saudi investment meeting in Florida, where he called Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski “dictator” for the second time in one day.
Trump became angry after Zelenski, responding to negotiations in the United States-Russia in Saudi Arabia, from which Kiev was expelled, said the US president “lives in a misinformation space”, managed by Moscow.
“I think the Russians want to see the end of the war, I really do it. I think they have the cards a little because they have taken a lot of territory. They have the cards,” Trump told BBC on Air Force One.
Asked if he trusts that Russia wants peace, Trump said “I do it.”
He spoke after throwing himself into Zelenski in Florida, where Trump called the Ukrainian president “dictator”, just hours after using the same word in a social post of truth.
A White House employee said Trump's publication was directly responding to to Zelenski's “misinformation” comments.
“He refuses to have elections. He is low in real Ukrainian surveys. How can you be tall when every city is knocked out?” Trump said in Florida.
Zelenski's five -year term was due to end in May 2024. However, Ukraine has been in martial law since Russia launched its full -scale invasion in February 2022 and the elections have been terminated.
Trump tried to make a problem with Zelenski's popularity, claiming that the Ukrainian president had only a 4% approval assessment. But the BBC checks reports that the poll conducted this month found 57% of Ukrainians said they trust the president.
“Dictator” SLUR quickly provoked criticism from European leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who said it was simply wrong and dangerous to give up President Zelenski his democratic legitimacy. “
The United Kingdom Prime Minister Sir Kiir Starmer has made it clear that he supported Zelenski in a phone call to the Ukrainian president.
On Tuesday, US and Russian officials held their first face -to -face negotiations after Russia's full -scale invasion. Ukraine was not invited.
Then Trump seems to blame Ukraine for the war, saying that “you shouldn't start it. You could make a deal.”
In response, Zelenski accused Russia of lying during the “famous meeting” on Tuesday.
“With all his respect for President Donald Trump as a leader … He lives in this misinformation space,” he said.