US President Donald Trump has triggered a sharp negative reaction after stating that Russia “wants to see Ukraine succeed.” The remarks came after his phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and a lengthy meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The context makes the statement particularly cynical: it was made the day after a massive Russian strike on Kyiv and the surrounding region, which killed two civilians and wounded dozens more. The families of the victims had not even had time to bury their loved ones.
Mass terror instead of “wishing success”
During the attack, Russia used the full range of its missile arsenal: ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as attack drones.
Since 2022, Russia has committed at least 190,000 war crimes against Ukraine.
Despite this, Trump said that Russia “is going to help” with Ukraine’s postwar reconstruction after a peace agreement is signed. He made these remarks to journalists during a joint press conference with Zelenskyy in Florida on 28 December.
Zelenskyy's reaction to Trump's statements has gone viral on social media.
Reaction: from shock to sarcasm
The statement sparked a wave of harsh criticism from experts and journalists.
"This might be one of the stupidest things he’s ever said and a true Hall of Fame entry," said Tom Nichols, a staff writer with The Atlantic.
The Kyiv Independent journalist Oleksii Sorokin has commented: “I can only imagine what Zelenskyy was thinking at that moment.”
According to him, during Trump’s remarks, Zelenskyy raised his eyebrows and smiled, which appeared to be a reaction to the blatantly absurd words.
Peace plan: 90% agreement, but with whom?
At the same time, Zelenskyy stated that during his latest meeting with Trump, the US and Ukraine had agreed on “90%” of a 20-point peace plan, which the Ukrainian president had unveiled earlier in the week.
According to Zelenskyy, these proposals are a revised version of a plan drafted by the US, but the details remain undisclosed.
A contrast impossible to ignore
Statements about Russia “helping” rebuild Ukraine were made against the backdrop of missile terror, mass war crimes, and Moscow’s refusal to take any real steps toward peace.
It is precisely this gap between the reality of the war and political rhetoric that has triggered such a strong reaction.
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The context makes the statement particularly cynical: it was made the day after a massive Russian strike on Kyiv and the surrounding region, which killed two civilians and wounded dozens more. The families of the victims had not even had time to bury their loved ones.
