WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump suggested during an interview that aired Thursday night That Ukraine He shouldn’t have fought when Russia invaded the country.
“Zelensky was fighting a much larger entity, much bigger, much more powerful,” Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity. “He shouldn’t have done that because we could have made a deal.”
Trump has previously argued so Zelensky It should have been a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to avoid war, a position he reiterated in a Fox News interview.
“I could have easily made that deal,” Trump said, “and Zelensky decided, ‘I want to fight.’
Trump continued to compare how many tanks each country had, emphasizing that Russia had more.
“You don’t fight those,” Trump said.
A White House spokesman did not immediately respond when asked how Trump believes Ukraine should have responded when Russia launched its invasion. The Ukrainian Embassy in Washington, D.C., did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Russia, an American opponent, Attacked Ukrainean American ally, in February 2022. Casualties You can to be in the hundreds of thousands, although exact numbers are unclear.
Former President Joe Biden, who was in power at the time Russia attacked, constantly emphasized his alliance with Ukraine, pressed aid packages for the embattled country and spared Zelensky’s leadership. The Biden administration also placed sanctions on Russia shortly after Invasion of UkraineCiting war and other issues.
Trump took a markedly different approach, saying in a Fox News interview that Zelensky “is no angel,” adding that the Ukrainian president “should never have allowed this war to happen.” Trump also said that if Russia does not move to “settle this war soon,” the United States will place “huge tariffs” and “huge sanctions” on Russia.
Trump previously said he would end the war Within one day. However, there are currently no signs that the war is any closer to the end.
Trump He met with Zelenskyy In September last year, when the then-candidate said he would work to end the war with a deal that “is good for both sides.”
“We’re going to work very hard with both parties to try to get that stability and get that,” Trump told reporters before the two men met.
That same month, Trump also referenced Putin during a “No Angels” campaign rally.
Trump’s comments came during a two-part Fox News interview taped on Wednesday. The second part of the interview, which included Trump’s comments about Zelensky, aired Thursday.
