Kyiv (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy responded to Donald Trump’s assertion that Ukraine was to blame for Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion, stating the U.S. president was stuck in a Russian disinformation bubble.
Prior to his meeting with Trump’s Ukraine representative, Zelenskiy stated he would like Trump’s officials to provide “more truth” regarding Ukraine.
The Ukrainian leader expressed Trump’s claim that his approval rating was just 4% was Russian disinformation and that any try to replace him would not succeed. He was expected to sit with visiting U.S. Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg, who stated as he arrived in Kyiv that he expected substantial discussions as the war approaches its three-year mark.
“We have evidence that these figures are being discussed between America and Russia. That is, President Trump … unfortunately lives in this disinformation space,”
Zelenskiy said.
What are the implications of Trump’s policy change on Ukraine’s war strategy?
After less than a month in office, Trump has changed U.S. policy on Ukraine and Russia, concluding Washington’s proposal to isolate Russia over its attack on Ukraine with a Trump-Putin phone conversation and discussions between senior U.S. and Russian officials.
The discussions on concluding the war in Ukraine have excluded both Ukraine and Europe, which Trump states must step up to ensure any ceasefire.
Moreover, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov praised Trump for stating that previous U.S. backing of Ukraine’s proposal to join the NATO military coalition was a primary cause of the war in Ukraine.
Trump’s U.S. policy lapse puts it at odds with partners in the 27-member European Union, whose representatives agreed on a 16th package of sanctions against Russia, including on aluminum and ships believed to be holding sanctioned Russian oil.
