President Trump suggested that Ukraine should hold elections to possibly replace President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump made the remark during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago after his US delegation concluded discussions with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia. He noted that Ukraine has not held any elections for some time, citing the imposition of martial law in the country.
“We have a situation where we haven’t had elections in Ukraine, where we have martial law, essentially martial law in Ukraine,” Trump stated.
Trump argued that Zelensky, who was elected in 2019, currently has an approval rating of just 4%, even though polls show his popularity to be slightly above 50%.
Elections were originally set for April 2024, but due to the ongoing state of martial law since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, no elections have taken place.
In 2023, Zelensky expressed concerns that an election would create “political divides” at a time when the country should remain focused on defense efforts.
Trump’s delegation met with Russian officials in a four-and-a-half-hour session in Saudi Arabia, marking the first round of peace talks without the participation of any Ukrainian representatives.
Zelensky voiced his surprise at not being invited to the talks, given the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, during a press conference in Turkey.
“I would say that, you know, when they want a seat at the table, you could say the people have to, wouldn’t the people of Ukraine have to say, like, you know, it’s been a long time since we’ve had an election,” Trump responded, addressing Ukraine’s desire to be part of the meeting.
“That’s not a Russia thing,” Trump emphasized. “That’s something coming from me and coming from many other countries also, you know, Ukraine is being just wiped out.”
Just hours earlier, Zelensky had strongly rejected the idea that Russia should impose new elections in Ukraine as part of any peace deal, stating he would not accept “ultimatums” from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump’s stance on Zelensky has evolved over the past week, following a phone call with Putin and the Saudi talks.
The president clarified that while he “likes” Zelensky “personally,” his main concern lies with the broader situation.
“I care about getting the job done. You have leadership now that’s allowed a war to go on that should have never even happened,” Trump remarked, notably leaving out Russia’s role in initiating the invasion.
Trump then shifted focus to criticize Zelensky for what he described as a lack of accountability regarding the funds sent to Ukraine by the United States.
“Where is all the money that’s been given? Where is it going? And nobody, I’ve never seen an accounting of it. We give hundreds of billions of dollars. I don’t see any accounting. So I want to see peace,” Trump questioned.
The president also suggested that Ukraine was responsible for starting the war with Russia, despite Russia having launched missiles into Ukrainian territory.
{Matzav.com}