Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has criticised US President Donald Trump for “spreading misinformation and falsely claiming that Ukraine was responsible for starting the war with Russia”.
Speaking to reporters in Kyiv, Zelensky expressed his disappointment while also acknowledging his respect for the United States and its people.
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“Unfortunately, President Trump – I have great respect for him as a leader of a nation that we have great respect for, the American people who always support us – unfortunately lives in this disinformation space,” Zelensky said.
His comments followed a high-level meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where US and Russian officials discussed ways to end the war. Ukraine was left out of those talks, a decision that sparked frustration in Kyiv. As a result, Trump weighed in with remarks that quickly stirred controversy.
“Today I heard, ‘Oh well, we weren’t invited. Well, you been there for three years. You should’ve ended it after three years. You should’ve never started it. You could’ve made a deal,’” Trump said late Tuesday.
The claim that Ukraine was responsible for the war is a narrative long promoted by the Kremlin. In reality, the conflict dates back to 2014, when Russia illegally annexed Crimea and began supporting pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Then, in February 2022, Moscow launched a full-scale invasion, sending tanks across the border, bombing Ukrainian cities, and even deploying special forces to Kyiv to try to assassinate Zelensky.
For Ukraine, Trump’s remarks add to growing frustration over efforts to rewrite the story of a war that has cost thousands of lives and reshaped the country’s future.
(CNN)
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