WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump intensified his attacks on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday, calling him a “dictator” and warning that he must act quickly to secure peace or risk losing Ukraine. The remarks, coming a day after Trump claimed Ukraine was responsible for Russia’s 2022 invasion, have heightened concerns among European allies that his approach to ending the war could ultimately favor Moscow.
Less than a month into his presidency, Trump has dramatically shifted U.S. policy on Ukraine, reversing efforts to isolate Russia by engaging in direct discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin. A recent Trump-Putin phone call and diplomatic meetings between senior U.S. and Russian officials have sidelined Ukraine from the negotiations, further alarming European leaders. In a social media post, Trump wrote, “A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left.”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha responded defiantly, stating, “We will defend our right to exist.” Zelenskiy’s term was set to expire in 2024, but elections have been suspended under martial law, which Ukraine imposed in response to Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
Trump’s latest comments followed Zelenskiy’s assertion that the U.S. president was echoing Russian disinformation when he suggested Ukraine “should never have started” the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion three years ago. U.S. Vice President JD Vance criticized Zelenskiy’s public remarks, warning that attacking Trump would not change his stance. “The idea that Zelenskiy is going to change the president’s mind by badmouthing him in public media … everyone who knows the president will tell you that is an atrocious way to deal with this administration,” Vance said in an interview with the Daily Mail.
Russia has occupied approximately 20% of Ukraine and continues to make territorial advances in the east. Moscow has justified its actions by claiming Ukraine’s pursuit of NATO membership posed an existential threat, a claim Kyiv and its allies dismiss as a pretext for an imperialist land grab. Zelenskiy rejected Trump’s statement that his approval rating in Ukraine was as low as 4%, calling it Russian disinformation. A February poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology indicated that 57% of Ukrainians trust their president.
Following Trump’s remarks, U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric affirmed Zelenskiy’s legitimacy, stating he remains in office after “duly-held elections.” Asked who started the war, Dujarric made it clear: “Russia invaded Ukraine.” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also criticized Trump’s comments, calling them “false and dangerous.” While some Republican lawmakers disagreed with Trump’s labeling of Zelenskiy as a dictator, they refrained from direct criticism, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune stating that Trump needed “space” to work on a peace deal.
European leaders have been left scrambling to respond to the abrupt shift in U.S. policy. In Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a hastily arranged meeting with European officials, who called for stronger support for Ukraine but failed to reach concrete decisions. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Macron are expected to visit Washington next week for discussions on ending the war, according to White House national security adviser Mike Waltz. Starmer reaffirmed his support for Zelenskiy, emphasizing that suspending elections during wartime was “perfectly reasonable.”
Amid concerns that Ukraine could be sidelined in diplomatic talks, Zelenskiy held discussions with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Macron, and Starmer on securing international guarantees. Meanwhile, the 27-member European Union agreed on a 16th package of sanctions against Russia, including measures targeting aluminum and vessels transporting Russian oil.
Trump has indicated that he may meet with Putin this month. In Moscow, Putin stated that Ukraine would not be excluded from negotiations but stressed that any peace deal would require a foundation of trust between Russia and the United States. Speaking a day after Russian and U.S. officials met in Riyadh for their first direct talks on the conflict, Putin noted that organizing a summit with Trump would take time. “We need to ensure that our teams prepare issues that are extremely important for both the United States and Russia, including—but not only—on the Ukrainian track, in order to reach solutions acceptable to both sides,” Putin said in televised remarks.
The meeting in Saudi Arabia, where Ukraine and European governments were notably absent, has intensified concerns that Washington and Moscow may reach an agreement that ignores Ukraine’s security interests. Zelenskiy, in a video address, stressed the importance of “the unity of Europe and the pragmatism of America.” Trump, for his part, has urged European nations to take greater responsibility for securing any ceasefire agreement.
Zelenskiy has reportedly proposed granting U.S. companies rights to extract valuable minerals in Ukraine in exchange for security guarantees, though he stated that Trump has not entertained the idea. With diplomatic tensions rising and U.S. policy shifting, Ukraine and its European allies now face mounting uncertainty about their place in negotiations over the war’s future.
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