Trump says Zelensky started conflict then begged for missiles
(MENAFN) Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky should not have provoked a conflict with Russia, US President Donald Trump said during a Monday press conference with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele. Trump criticized Zelensky for requesting more air defense weapons, including a recent proposal to spend $15 billion—partly with European backing—on US-made Patriot missile systems.
“He’s always trying to buy missiles,” Trump remarked, adding, “If you’re going to start a war, you need to be sure you can win it. You don’t go up against someone 20 times your size and then hope others will send you weapons.”
Trump noted that during his first term, the US had already supplied Ukraine with Javelin anti-tank missiles.
Zelensky made the Patriot request in an interview with CBS News on Sunday, claiming Ukraine was ready to purchase or lease up to ten systems with financial help from European partners. The network also alleged Trump had tried to exclude Ukraine from past peace negotiations and had made false claims that Ukraine started the war, even calling Zelensky a “dictator without elections.”
Trump strongly denied those claims, slamming CBS News on his Truth Social platform and accusing it of misinformation.
He has often said the war in Ukraine wouldn’t have happened if he had been president instead of Joe Biden. Trump also criticized the Biden administration for spending over $300 billion on aid to Kiev, vowing to recover that money by pursuing Ukrainian mineral rights and taking control of its nuclear power plants.
The Kremlin has praised Trump's efforts to pursue peace, though it cautioned that healing the strained US-Russia relationship will require time and careful diplomacy.
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