President Donald Trump escalated tensions with Ukraine by calling President Volodymyr Zelensky a “dictator” during a speech in Florida. His remarks followed Zelensky’s criticism of recent U.S.-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia, from which Ukraine was excluded, accusing Trump of operating in a “disinformation space” influenced by Moscow.
Trump claimed Zelensky “played Joe Biden like a fiddle” and accused him of refusing elections, despite Ukraine being under martial law since Russia’s invasion in 2022. European leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, condemned Trump’s remarks, defending Zelensky’s democratic legitimacy.
Zelensky, whose term was set to end in May 2024, reiterated that elections during wartime were impractical. He is set to meet U.S. envoy Keith Kellogg to discuss continued cooperation.
Meanwhile, Trump continued his attacks on social media, blaming Ukraine for the war and alleging Europe had “failed to bring peace.” He also criticized Ukraine’s handling of rare-earth minerals, suggesting a broken deal.
Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed Trump’s comments, while EU leaders vowed new sanctions against Russia. Despite Trump’s claims of Zelensky’s unpopularity, polls show the Ukrainian leader still holds majority support at home.
Related Readings:
![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://worldfinancialreview.com/trump-calls-zelensky-a-dictator-sparking-international-backlash/&media=https://worldfinancialreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Trump-Calls-Zelensky-a-Dictator-Sparking-International-Backlash.jpg&description=Trump escalates tensions with Ukraine, calling Zelensky a "dictator" after U.S.-Russia talks. European leaders defend Zelensky’s democratic legitimacy.){kind=link}