Trump shifts blame from Zelensky, calls for end to conflict
Donald Trump no longer blames Volodymyr Zelensky for the outbreak of war between Russia and Ukraine. This marks a significant change in the stance of the U.S. President, who not long ago placed Zelensky and Putin on the same level. During a meeting with journalists at the White House, Trump also admitted that he is not a big fan of the Ukrainian President.
Just a few weeks ago, Donald Trump believed that Volodymyr Zelensky contributed to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The U.S. President accused the Ukrainian leader of instigating the conflict with a country "20 times larger than Ukraine."
— Everybody is to blame. That’s a war that should have never been allowed to start and Biden could have stopped it and Zelenskyy could have stopped it and Putin should have never started it — said Donald Trump when Ukraine expressed interest in purchasing Patriot missiles.
Trump denied this statement several times, but he did not want to directly acknowledge that it is not the Ukrainian President who is responsible for the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, but rather Vladimir Putin.
During a press conference coinciding with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's visit, Trump admitted for the first time directly that Volodymyr Zelensky is not responsible for starting the conflict. However, he added that "he's not a fan" of the Ukrainian President.
Russia is huge, much larger than Ukraine. It has a more powerful army and is a massive military force. If you're smart, you don't engage in war with them. I don't blame him, but I don't see him doing well. I'm not a big fan of his - Trump told the gathered journalists.
At the same time, the U.S. President emphasized that he is not thrilled about the conflict's outbreak and wants to end it.
