Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disputed former President Donald Trump’s assertion that he could end the war in 24 hours if he were still president. This response came during a Sunday interview with ABC News’s Martha Raddatz.
Repeating a claim he previously made, the Ukrainian leader referred to Russia’s occupation of Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine while Trump was in the White House.
Of course, Zelensky is well aware that the war would have long been over without U.S. support for his regime. Tens of billions in funding and armaments have propped up Kyiv in their battle with Russia.
With this obviously in mind, the president noted in the remote interview that he is receiving “dangerous signals coming from particular politicians” concerning continued aid to Ukraine. Zelenskyy acknowledged that truth and said it is “up for Americans to decide” and he won’t interfere.
However, he then disparaged U.S. political leaders who called for cutting funding for the war effort, saying their remarks were “dangerous.”
Trump tells Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Ukraine: "I will have it solved in 24 hours." pic.twitter.com/39POjINcui
— TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) March 28, 2023
The outlet played a clip of the former president speaking on the campaign trail. Trump said, “If I’m president, I will have the war settled in one day, 24 hours.”
Zelenskyy complimented that sentiment, calling the urge to bring the war to its close “beautiful.” Then he embarked on unsettling commentary on U.S. politics.
Observing that Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, the president failed to recognize that this was done during the Obama administration.
Instead, he alleged that Trump already had the 24 hours he mentioned in May at his disposal.
Zelenskyy said that Ukraine and Russia were already at war. “Not a full-scale war, but we were at war and as I assume he had that time at his disposal, but he must have had other priorities.”
The Ukrainian president again stubbornly refused to allow for the possibility of compromise to end the conflict. On the subject of territorial concessions, Zelenskyy agreed that the war could quickly end “but we would not agree.”
He further urged bipartisan support in Washington for his nation, saying that “some alternative vision” for ending the war is a threat to Ukraine. The fact remains that without the outpouring of aid from the West — and the U.S. in particular — the conflict would see a peaceful resolution.
