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WASHINGTON, April 18 — US President Donald Trump yesterday said he does not hold Volodymyr Zelensky “responsible” for Russia’s invasion of his country but continued to criticise the pro-Western Ukrainian leader.
Trump has repeatedly made the false claim that Ukraine started the war and this week accused Zelensky of responsibility for “millions” of deaths.
“I don’t hold Zelensky responsible but I’m not exactly thrilled with the fact that that war started,” Trump said at the White House alongside visiting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
“I’m not blaming him, but what I am saying is that I wouldn’t say he’s done the greatest job, OK? I am not a big fan.”
Zelensky earlier this week invited Trump to visit Ukraine to see the devastation wrought by the war for himself, in a Sunday interview with CBS that Trump responded to with threats against the TV network.
His invitation followed a heated row at the White House in late February between the Ukrainian president, Trump and US Vice President JD Vance, which played out in front of the media.
Meloni told reporters that “we’ve been defending freedom of Ukraine together, together we can build a just and lasting peace. We support your efforts.”
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