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By Maya Mehrara
News Reporter
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President Donald Trump has said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is "no angel" and suggested he shares the blame for the start of the Russia-Ukraine war.
In his first sit-down interview since returning to the White House, Trump criticized Zelensky, saying that he "shouldn't have allowed this war to happen."
"Zelensky was fighting a much bigger entity, much bigger, much more powerful," Trump told Fox News. "He shouldn't have done that, because we could have made a deal."
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Newsweek has contacted the White House and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine for comment.
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Why It Matters
Trump's criticism of both Zelensky and Vladimir Putin in the interview risks making it more difficult for him to help broker a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia.
It also signifies a major shift in tone from Joe Biden's administration, which offered substantial financial and military backing for Ukraine's war effort.
What To Know
In his interview, Trump criticized Zelensky for wanting to fight the war despite massive military deficiencies in comparison to Russia.
"First of all, he's fighting a much bigger entity," Trump said. "We started pouring equipment... and they [Ukraine] had the bravery to use the equipment, but in the end, it's a war that has to be settled," Trump said.
But he added that Zelensky has now "had enough" and "wants to settle" in order to secure peace.
Trump also blamed Putin for the war, claiming that Russia had lost around 850,000 soldiers. "Putin shouldn't have done it... and it has to stop," he said.
He warned that the U.S. would impose "massive tariffs and massive taxes" on Russia if Putin does not agree to a peace deal soon.
Meanwhile, Trump also reiterated his claim that the war would never have started if he had been in office over the past four years. He blamed Biden's administration for provoking Putin and allowing him to profit from soaring energy prices.
"Biden did a horrible, horrible job in allowing that war to start, it should never have started," he said. "He allowed energy to go way up, if he brought it down the war wouldn't have started."
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on Thursday: "I'm not looking to hurt Russia. I love the Russian people, and always had a very good relationship with President Putin - and this despite the Radical Left's Russia, Russia, Russia HOAX. We must never forget that Russia helped us win the Second World War, losing almost 60,000,000 lives in the process.
"All of that being said, I'm going to do Russia, whose economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE. If we don't make a 'deal,' and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries.
"Let's get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with! We can do it the easy way, or the hard way - and the easy way is always better. It's time to "MAKE A DEAL." NO MORE LIVES SHOULD BE LOST!!!"
Dionis Cenusa, a fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "Trump has his own agenda and will not support Ukraine just because it is a victim of Russian aggression. According to Trump, Zelensky is not 'an angel' and would fail preventing this war from happening. This personal criticism indicates that there is a strong likelihood that the US will not be a team player with Ukraine (and the EU)."
He added: "The new US president sees the ongoing war not as a continuation of the first Russian invasion in 2014. Trump reduces the war to the period from February 2024 to today. Trump's misinterpreted or ignored causality behind the Russian war against Ukraine could play into Moscow's hands during peace talks."
Jim Sciutto, a CNN anchor and chief national security analyst, wrote on X: "Would he have said the same of Poland in 1939?"
What Happens Next
Trump is expected to hold meetings with Putin and Zelensky to begin his push for a peace deal in the coming weeks.
Putin has said that he is willing to enter negotiations with the new administration, but stipulated that he wants to eliminate the root causes of the Ukrainian conflict.
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