Trump: Zelensky is a 'relatively successful comedian' and a 'dictator without elections'

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, referred to Volodymyr Zelensky as 'a relatively successful comedian' and 'a dictator without elections' on Wednesday, February 19. Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social: 'Volodymyr Zelensky asked the United States to spend $350 billion, to enter a war that cannot be won, a war that should never have started, but a war that he, without the United States and Trump, will never be able to resolve.' He emphasized that 'the United States has spent $200 billion more than Europe and Europe's money is guaranteed, while the United States will get nothing back,' criticizing former President Joe Biden for not asking for equality. The U.S. President pointed out that 'this war is much more important for Europe than for us' and added: 'Zelensky admits that half of the money we sent him is missing, he refuses to hold elections, and his popularity in Ukrainian polls is very low.' The U.S. President added: 'A dictator without elections, Zelensky better move quickly or there will be no country left for him.' He noted that the United States is 'successfully negotiating to end the war with Russia,' adding that this is an action that 'everyone agrees only Trump and the Trump administration can do.' Donald Trump emphasized: 'I love Ukraine, but Zelensky has done a terrible job, his country is in ruins and millions have died for no reason.' On Tuesday, February 19, he said there is a 'possibility' he will meet and talk with Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, by the end of this month. He made this statement while leaving a press conference at his residence in Florida in response to a reporter's question about whether he expects to meet with Putin by the end of the month. Trump added that he supports the deployment of European peacekeeping forces to Ukraine, provided that he can reach an agreement with Russia to end the war. He said: 'If they want to do this, great, I completely agree;' and added that the U.S. will not participate in this matter because 'we are very far away [from that region].' The U.S. President had previously expressed dissatisfaction with Ukraine regarding its exclusion from ongoing negotiations between senior U.S. and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia. Donald Trump said in this regard: 'I am very sorry to hear they are unhappy about not having a seat at the negotiations, well, but they have had a seat at this table for three years, and long before that.' He also emphasized that he has become 'much more hopeful' about ending the war in Ukraine and sees himself capable of bringing this conflict, which began on February 24, 2022, to an end. Earlier, the U.S. Secretary of State said on Tuesday, February 19, that Washington is trying to find a 'fair' and 'sustainable' solution to end the war in Ukraine, but both Moscow and Kyiv must make concessions for peace. Marco Rubio made this assessment after he and other senior U.S. officials met for over four hours in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, and his aides. No Ukrainian or European officials were present at these talks. He said he is 'confident' that Moscow is ready to enter a 'serious process' to end the war that began nearly three years ago with Russia's full-scale invasion of its neighbor. Sergey Lavrov also had a positive view of these negotiations, stating: 'We were not just listening to each other, but we were understanding each other. I have reasons to believe that the American side has begun to better understand our positions.' Volodymyr Zelensky had previously emphasized that Ukraine will not accept any agreement made without Kyiv's direct participation. He warned that any decision regarding Ukraine's future must be made with the presence and consent of its government.