
Trump’s flurry of false claims about Ukraine – The Washington Post
In remarks and social media posts, the president echoed Russian talking points. [...]
Here’s an assessment of Trump’s misleading statements on Ukraine in recent days.

In remarks and social media posts, the president echoed Russian talking points. [...]
Here’s an assessment of Trump’s misleading statements on Ukraine in recent days.

Attacks by US President Donald Trump on Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky have deepened a crisis between the two leaders as Ukraine's war with Russia approaches its third anniversary.
AFP fact checked some of the statements by the US leader.

Claim: Zelenskyy started the war in Ukraine with Russia.
Claim: Zelenskyy is a dictator.
Claim: Zelenskyy has a 4% approval rating.
Claim: The U.S. spent $350 billion to help Ukraine.
Claim: Zelenskyy said he doesn't know where half of the money the U.S. has given Ukraine went.
Claim: Zelenskyy was "sleeping and unavailable" to meet Treasury Secretary Scott Bessett during a Feb. 12 Kyiv visit.

As reported before, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent arrived in Kyiv on 12 February to discuss economic partnership with Ukraine and met with Zelenskyy during his visit.

- A 'dictator without elections'
- Who started the war?
- US aid to Ukraine
- Europe's aid to Ukraine
- 'Millions' of dead?

Donald Trump's negotiations with Russia focus on resetting US-Russia relations rather than resolving the Ukraine conflict. He has conceded to several of Moscow's demands, sidelining Ukrainian interests. This approach raises concerns about a deal that benefits Russia at Ukraine's expense.

- Claim: Zelenskyy is a 'dictator without elections'
- Claim: The U.S. has spent $350 billion on the war in Ukraine
- Claim: The U.S. has spent $200 billion more than Europe; Europe's money is guaranteed
- Claim: Zelenskyy has a 4% approval rating
- Claim: Ukraine started the war with Russia

"I think I have the power to end this war, and I think it's going very well," Trump said, answering reporters' questions on February 18 at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. "But today I heard [from Ukraine], 'Oh well, we weren't invited.' Well, you've been there for three years. You should have ended it three years - you should have never started it, you could have made a deal."
This clashes with the evidence that Russia sent a large invasion force into Ukraine in February 2022.

Some GOP lawmakers distanced themselves from Trump's statements calling Zelensky a "dictator without elections" and blaming Ukraine for the war

After U.S. and Russian officials met in Saudi Arabia to discuss an end to Russia's war in Ukraine, President Donald Trump made several false and misleading statements about the conflict and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Trump falsely claimed that Ukraine had "started" the war with Russia, saying the country could have made a "deal." Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
He inflated the amount of U.S. aid for Ukraine and wrongly said the U.S. gave "$200 billion more than Europe." Aid from Europe is higher than that from the U.S.
Trump distorted comments Zelenskyy made to claim that the Ukrainian president "admits that half of the money that we sent them is missing." A Trump administration official has said the U.S. tracks the money.
Trump called Zelenskyy a "dictator" and misleadingly said that he "refuses" to have elections. Because of the war, the country is under martial law and can't have an election, according to Ukrainian law.