US President Donald Trump attributed responsibility for the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and former US President Joe Biden, distancing himself from the conflict.
During his presidential campaign, Trump boasted that he could end the war in Ukraine in “24 hours” if elected. Then he extended the timeline to six months and suggested his initial promise was “a little bit sarcastic.”
As of April 2025, Trump’s administration continues to pursue negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, emphasizing the need for a complete ceasefire and peace deal.
The situation remains complicated due to Russian demands, which include recognition of its control over four eastern Ukrainian oblasts and Ukraine’s guarantees exclusion from any potential NATO membership as well as prohibition of any foreign military presence on Ukrainian soil.
Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Donald Trump to visit Ukraine before making decisions about ceasefire negotiations with Russia. He emphasized the untrustworthiness of Russia and the need for Trump to witness firsthand the suffering of Ukrainian civilians, warriors, and children. Zelenskyy warned that the war could escalate if Ukraine and its allies do not stand firm against Russian military advancement.
“The War between Russia and Ukraine is Biden’s war, not mine,” Trump stated on Truth Social. “I just got here, and for four years during my term, had no problem in preventing it from happening.”
Trump claimed that during his previous presidency, he commanded international respect that deterred such conflicts.
“President Putin, and everyone else, respected your President!” he wrote.
The US president once again claimed that the 2020 election was rigged, when he lost to Biden.
“If the 2020 Presidential Election was not RIGGED… that horrible War would never have happened,” Trump wrote.
He placed direct blame on both the Ukrainian and former US leadership:
“President Zelenskyy and Crooked Joe Biden did an absolutely horrible job in allowing this travesty to begin.”
Trump also characterized Russia’s ballistic missile strike on Sumy, Ukraine, as “horrible” and claimed he was informed it was a mistake.
The attack, which occurred on Palm Sunday, killed 35 people, including two children, and injured 120 others. Ukrainian officials labeled it the deadliest single strike of the year in the ongoing war.
A Ukrainian member of parliament, Oleksandr Merezko, criticized Trump’s statement about the attack being a mistake, calling it shocking and insisting that such strikes are deliberate war crimes.
Earlier, Trump referred to Zelenskyy as a “dictator without elections” and falsely claimed the Ukrainian president has only a 4% approval rating.
Ukrainian law, however, prohibits elections under martial law, a measure implemented since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
The polls also showed that 57% of Ukrainians actually trust Zelenskyy, significantly higher than Trump’s assertion. The Ukrainian president responded by accusing Trump of living in a “Russian-made disinformation bubble.”
When reminded of this statement publicly, the US President expressed surprise, asking, “Did I say that? I can’t believe I said that. Next question,” and avoiding further elaboration.
