Zelensky Accuses Trump Of Spreading Disinformation On Ukraine War
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused former U.S. President Donald Trump of spreading disinformation regarding the war in Ukraine.
The accusation follows remarks made by Trump, who allegedly claimed on Tuesday that Ukraine was responsible for starting the war with Russia—a false assertion that Zelensky strongly rejected.
Speaking to reporters in Kyiv, Zelensky said, “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’s comments came a day after high-level talks between U.S. and Russian officials aimed at ending the war were held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from which Ukraine was excluded. The meeting concluded with an agreement to appoint high-level teams to negotiate a resolution and efforts to reestablish diplomatic channels.
It was Kyiv’s exclusion from these talks that triggered Trump’s comments. Trump stated, “Today I heard, ‘Oh well, we weren’t invited. Well, you’ve 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.”
The claim that Ukraine somehow initiated the war is a narrative often repeated by the Kremlin and its supporters. In reality, the conflict began in 2014 when Russia illegally annexed Crimea and began supporting pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. In February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, attacking its neighbor with tanks, bombarding cities, and attempting to assassinate President Zelensky.
Zelensky’s pushback reflects his ongoing efforts to correct misinformation and ensure that the true nature of the conflict is understood on the international stage.
