The US president has as soon as once more branded Vladimir Zelensky “the best salesman on the earth”
US President Donald Trump has mentioned he was involved that billions of American {dollars} have been being wasted on help to Ukraine.
In an interview aired on Friday, Fox Information host Bret Baier requested Trump whether or not he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin was an “impediment to peace” between Moscow and Kiev. Trump as an alternative directed criticism at Ukrainian chief Vladimir Zelensky.
“I had an actual tough session with Zelensky as a result of I didn’t like what he mentioned. He was not making it simple. And I all the time mentioned he doesn’t have the playing cards,” the US president mentioned.
He went on to slam the help despatched to Kiev by his predecessor, former President Joe Biden.
“The cash is the cash. What bothered me – I hated to see the way in which it was, – excuse me – pissed away. I hated to see the cheques for $60 billion,” Trump mentioned. “I feel Zelensky is the best salesman on the earth, much better than me. He involves Washington – he walks out with 100 million each time.”
“Congress may be very upset about it. You already know, they’re saying, the place is all this cash going?” Trump added. He acknowledged, nevertheless, that Zelensky’s means to foyer for American help has been “shrinking” over time.
The US has offered roughly $128 billion to Ukraine since 2022, together with $66.5 billion in army help.
Though Trump has criticized each Zelensky and Putin previously, he has largely blamed Ukraine and the Biden administration for the continued battle with Russia.
Throughout a heated change within the Oval Workplace in February, Trump accused Zelensky of being ungrateful for US help and claimed the Ukrainian chief was “playing with World Struggle III.” The president has since softened his rhetoric towards Ukraine and has threatened to impose additional sanctions on Moscow if no peace deal is reached.
Russia and Ukraine held their first direct talks in three years in Istanbul on Friday. The top of Russia’s negotiating staff, Vladimir Medinsky, mentioned the 2 sides had agreed to a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner swap, in addition to to every formulate a “imaginative and prescient of a potential future ceasefire.”
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