Donald Trump has made controversial statements regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine, questioning the competence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He suggested that Ukraine was responsible for starting the conflict with Russia, a country that is significantly larger in size. This claim comes at a time when the war has resulted in devastating losses, with Trump stating, "millions of people are dead because of three people," referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Joe Biden, and Zelenskyy.
These comments were made during a meeting in the Oval Office with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, just a day after a tragic missile strike in the northeastern city of Sumy killed 35 people, including two children. This attack was described as the deadliest strike in Ukraine this year, occurring while residents were celebrating Palm Sunday.
Trump expressed that if Biden and Zelenskyy had been more competent, the war could have been prevented. He emphasized that a conflict should not have started against a nation as powerful as Russia, stating, "You don’t start a war against somebody that’s 20 times your size." He added that both Biden and Zelenskyy could have taken actions to stop the war before it began.
In his remarks, Trump claimed he was the first to provide Ukraine with Javelin missiles, asserting his past support for the country. He expressed a desire to put an end to the violence, saying, "I want to stop the killing," and hinted at potential proposals to achieve peace in the near future.
Zelenskyy has called for a global response to the recent missile attacks, which have injured over 100 people and targeted civilian areas. The Ukrainian air force reported ongoing strikes from Russia, though details on casualties were not immediately available.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov defended the Russian military’s actions, stating that they only target military sites. The Russian defense ministry claimed the strikes were aimed at a gathering of military officers, accusing Ukraine of using civilians as human shields.
As the conflict continues, both sides have accused each other of violating a ceasefire agreement proposed by the U.S. Ukraine has shown support for this broader ceasefire, but Russia has imposed strict conditions, complicating any potential resolution.