
Trump calls Zelenskyy a dictator, tells him to end Russia-Ukraine war fast
By Ray Bogan (Political Correspondent), Snorre Wik (Photographer/Editor)
- President Donald Trump said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was “a dictator without elections” Wednesday, Feb. 19. It’s part of an ongoing quarrel between the two regarding negotiations with Russia to end the war.
- Zelenskyy had earlier said Trump is “living in a disinformation space” when responding to Trump’s comments that Ukraine should have never started the war.
- Members of Congress disagreed with Trump calling Zelenskyy a dictator and said it was Putin who started the war.
Full Story
President Donald Trump called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “a dictator without elections” in a Truth Social post Wednesday morning, Feb. 19. The post is part of an ongoing quarrel between the two leaders that began after U.S. and Russian negotiators met in Saudi Arabia to discuss an end to the three-year-long war.
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See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn moreBias Summary
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“Think of it, a modestly successful comedian, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, talked the United States of America into spending $350 Billion Dollars, to go into a War that couldn’t be won, that never had to start, but a War that he, without the U.S. and “TRUMP,” will never be able to settle,” Trump wrote.

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What has Zelenskyy said about Trump?
Zelenskyy spoke with reporters earlier Wednesday to discuss the negotiations, which began without a Ukrainian representative.
During the Q&A, Zelenskyy said Trump “is living in this disinformation space,” when asked to respond to Trump’s comments from Tuesday in which he said Ukraine, “should have never started [the war].”
Zelenskyy also said he has evidence that Russia is spreading disinformation about his approval ratings, a point President Trump brought up multiple times in the last couple of days.
“Zelenskyy admits that half of the money we sent him is ‘MISSING.’ He refuses to have Elections, is very low in Ukrainian Polls, and the only thing he was good at was playing Biden ‘like a fiddle,’” Trump wrote.
How have lawmakers responded?
Members of Congress were dismayed by President Trump’s comments.
“To the extent that the White House said that Ukraine started the war, I disagree. I think Vladimir Putin started the war,” Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said. “I also believe, through bitter experience, that Vladimir Putin is a gangster. He’s a gangster with a black heart.”
“It is not only contrary to the facts and the truth, but utterly despicable,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said. “A disgusting betrayal of a country that has bled and fought and died for freedom.”
While there are Republicans who disagree with Trump’s use of the word dictator to describe Zelenskyy, there are also members who don’t think the war should drag on without a clear plan for a settlement.
“No one’s articulated an ending point. We keep sending tens of billions of dollars over there. No one has even defined what victory looks like,” Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., said.
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Congress has appropriated $175 billion for Ukraine since the war began in February 2022. Billions have gone to American weapons manufacturers to provide weapons, billions more are used to replace weapons and munitions given to Ukraine from U.S. stockpiles. So the U.S. gets brand-new equipment, Ukraine receives what was sitting in storage.
Trump also said Zelenskyy better move fast to end the war or he is not going to have a country left.
[Ray]
President Trump called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “a dictator without elections” in a Truth Social post Wednesday morning. The post is part of an ongoing quarrel between the two leaders that began after US and Russian negotiators met in Saudi Arabia to discuss an end to the three year long war.
Trump wrote: “Think of it, a modestly successful comedian, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, talked the United States of America into spending $350 Billion Dollars, to go into a War that couldn’t be won, that never had to start, but a War that he, without the U.S. and “TRUMP,” will never be able to settle,”
Zelensky spoke with reporters earlier Wednesday to discuss the negotiations which began without a Ukrainian representative. During the Q&A, Zelensky said Trump “is living in this disinformation space,” when asked to respond to Trump’s comments from Tuesday in which he said Ukraine, “should have never started [the war].”
Zelensky also said he has evidence that Russia is spreading disinformation about his approval ratings, a point President Trump brought up multiple times in the last couple of days.
Trump wrote: “Zelenskyy admits that half of the money we sent him is “MISSING.” He refuses to have Elections, is very low in Ukrainian Polls, and the only thing he was good at was playing Biden “like a fiddle.”,”
Members of Congress were dismayed by President Trump’s comments.
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La: “To the extent that the White House said that Ukraine started the war, I disagree. I think Vladimir Putin started the war. I also believe, through bitter experience, that Vladimir Putin is a gangster. He’s a gangster with a black heart.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal: “It is not only contrary to the facts and the truth, but utterly despicable. A disgusting betrayal of a country that has bled and fought and died for freedom.”
While there are Republicans who disagree with Trump’s use of the word dictator to describe Zelensky, there are also members who don’t think the war should drag on without a clear plan for a settlement.
Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo.: “No one’s articulated an ending point. We keep sending tens of billions of dollars over there. No one has even defined what victory looks like,”
Congress has appropriated $175 billion for Ukraine since the war began in February 2022. Billions have gone to American weapons manufacturers to provide weapons, billions more are used to replace weapons and munitions given to Ukraine from US stockpiles. So the US gets brand new equipment, Ukraine receives what was sitting in storage.
Trump said Zelensky better move fast to end the war or he is not going to have a country left.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn moreBias Summary
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