President Donald Trump on Thursday tempered his recent criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, questioning whether he had referred to him as a “dictator” as the U.S. pushes for a negotiated end to the war between Kyiv and Moscow.
During an Oval Office meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump was asked whether he still believed Zelensky was a dictator.
“Did I say that? I can’t believe I said that. Next question,” Trump responded.
He then emphasized his willingness to work with Zelensky, stating, “I think the president and I actually have had a very good relationship. It maybe got a little bit testy because we wanted to have a little bit of what the European nations had.”
Trump’s remarks came after a social media post last week in which he called Zelensky a “dictator with elections” and accused him of doing a “terrible job.” He also suggested Zelensky was responsible for the war’s outbreak and downplayed his role in potential peace negotiations, saying the Ukrainian leader “has no cards.”
Trump has frequently claimed that European aid to Ukraine has been in the form of loans, while U.S. assistance has been a financial loss. Starmer, like French President Emmanuel Macron earlier this week, countered by noting that much of Europe’s support for Ukraine has been provided as a “gift.”
Zelensky is scheduled to visit the White House on Friday as both countries finalize an agreement granting the U.S. access to Ukraine’s critical minerals supply. Proponents of the deal argue that the economic partnership would strengthen American support for Ukraine’s defense against future Russian aggression.
Monday marked the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The attack followed Russia’s demands that Ukraine be barred from joining NATO and came nearly a decade after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.
Trump has made ending the war in Ukraine a focal point of his campaign and recently spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin to initiate ceasefire discussions. He also reiterated his stance that Ukraine’s NATO membership is off the table, stating, “It’s not gonna happen.”
When asked whether he trusted Putin, Trump responded cautiously.
“Trust and verify, let’s call it that,” he said. “You have to verify, because you never know what’s going to happen.”
He added, “I have confidence that if we make a deal, it’s going to hold.”
