Donald Trump has escalated his criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, blaming him for helping to start the war with Russia. The comment, made during a recent appearance on the PBD Podcast with Patrick Bet-David, hints at a potential major shift in U.S. foreign policy towards Ukraine should Trump win the upcoming presidential election on November 5, 2024.
Throughout his campaign, Trump has consistently attacked Zelenskiy, labeling him “the greatest salesman on Earth” for securing billions in U.S. military aid since the war erupted in 2022. Trump claims the Ukrainian leader failed to pursue peace with Moscow and even suggested that Ukraine might need to surrender some territory to Russia as part of a peace agreement—an idea Kyiv strongly opposes.
Trump’s latest remarks go further than previous critiques. He directly accused Zelenskiy of not only failing to end the war but also playing a role in starting it. Despite Russia’s clear invasion of Ukrainian territory, Trump shifted partial blame onto Zelenskiy, stating, “He should never have let that war start. The war’s a loser.” However, Trump also expressed sympathy for Ukrainians, adding, “That doesn’t mean I don’t want to help him because I feel very badly for those people.”
During a meeting in New York in September 2024, Zelenskiy had presented Trump with his “victory plan” to bring the war to an end, but Trump’s public statements since suggest he may reduce U.S. support for Ukraine if elected. He has repeatedly claimed that he could end the conflict swiftly, but has yet to offer specifics on how he would achieve this goal.
On the other side of the political spectrum, Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, the opposing candidate in the 2024 election, has vowed to continue supporting Ukraine, describing the country’s victory as crucial to U.S. national security. Harris has been a vocal critic of Trump’s stance on Ukraine, accusing him of being too lenient with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
As the election approaches, Trump’s remarks further indicate that a victory for him could lead to a dramatic rethinking of U.S. involvement in the Ukraine-Russia conflict, with significant implications for both global security and America’s foreign policy stance.