U.S. President Donald Trump has reignited debate over the war in Ukraine, asserting that the conflict would never have happened if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had been competent. Speaking from the White House, Trump reiterated his long-standing position that the war could have been prevented and pledged to “stop the killing.”
He blamed not just Zelensky, but also Russian President Vladimir Putin and former President Joe Biden for allowing the conflict to unfold.
“If Biden were competent, and if Zelensky were competent—and I don’t know that he is—that war should never have been allowed to happen,” Trump told reporters. “When I was in office the first time, Putin wouldn’t even bring it up. But as soon as the election was rigged and I wasn’t here, that war started.”
Trump stood by his claim that “everybody’s to blame,” saying, “Biden could have stopped it. Zelensky could have stopped it. Putin should have never started it.”
He added, “I’m not saying anyone’s an angel, but during my first term, it wasn’t even a question. Putin knew not to go there—I told him directly, ‘You’re not going to do it.’”
Trump’s comments came alongside fresh claims from his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, who met with Putin last week and suggested that Russia may now be open to a “permanent peace” deal with Ukraine.
“We might be on the verge of something very, very important for the world at large,” Witkoff said.
Trump also stated that “millions of people are dead because of three people: Putin, who’s number one, Biden, who had no idea what he was doing, and Zelensky.”
Doubling down, Trump criticised the Ukrainian president’s constant appeals for military support: “He’s always looking to purchase missiles. But when you start a war, you need to know you can win. You don’t start a war against someone twenty times your size and just hope others give you weapons.”
