US President Donald Trump on Monday defended his handling of the Ukraine war in a fiery Truth Social post, declaring “I know exactly what I’m doing” and calling his critics “stupid people,” even as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Trump has the strength to push Russia toward peace.
Hours before meeting Zelenskyy and European leaders, Trump claimed he had “settled 6 wars in 6 months, one of them a possible Nuclear disaster,” and stressed that the conflict in Ukraine was “Sleepy Joe Biden’s war, not mine.” He added: “I’m only here to stop it, not to prosecute it any further. It would have NEVER happened if I was President.”
Trump accused foreign policy experts and media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, of misleading the public. “They are ‘STUPID’ people, with no common sense, intelligence, or understanding, and they only make the current R/U disaster more difficult to FIX. Despite all of my lightweight and very jealous critics, I’ll get it done — I always do!!!” he wrote.
Zelenskyy, for his part, struck a conciliatory note ahead of their talks, saying Trump has the “strength to force Russia into peace.” The Ukrainian leader has repeatedly sought assurances that Washington will remain Kyiv’s key ally despite Trump’s calls for a negotiated end to the war.
The meeting between the two leaders, alongside European counterparts, is due to take place in a few hours.
Zelenskyy rallies European backing
Zelenskyy, arriving in Washington with what observers called an “extraordinary cadre” of European leaders, emphasized the importance of a united approach. “It’s important that America agrees to work with Europe to provide security guarantees for Ukraine, and therefore for all of Europe,” he said on X.
The Ukrainian president also sought to reassure supporters that Kyiv was committed to a durable peace. “We all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably,” he posted, cautioning against a repeat of 2014, when Russia’s seizure of Crimea became a “springboard for a new attack.”
Earlier on Monday, Zelenskyy told reporters he believed Trump has the “strength to force Russia into peace.”
European heavyweights converge on Washington
Joining Zelenskyy in the US capital are European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
The unusual joint appearance comes after many of these leaders were excluded from Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last Friday. European officials said they wanted to avoid a repeat of Zelenskyy’s February Oval Office visit, when Trump scolded him for not showing enough gratitude for US military aid.
Monday’s gathering is also a test of transatlantic relations after the EU and UK reluctantly accepted Trump’s tariff hikes in hopes of keeping Washington firmly engaged on Ukraine.
On the table are proposals for NATO-like security guarantees for Ukraine as part of any peace framework. While Putin opposes Ukraine’s NATO accession outright, Trump’s envoys have suggested Moscow may be open to Western allies committing to defend Ukraine if attacked again.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio described such a commitment as “a very big move,” telling US media that discussions could run for “six, seven hours” as allies try to build an enforceable framework.
But challenges remain. European officials said Trump relayed that Putin still insists on controlling the entire Donbas region, a demand Zelenskyy has repeatedly called unconstitutional and unacceptable. Diplomats said Zelenskyy may be pressured to accept compromises, raising the risk he could be blamed for blocking talks.
Macron warns of broader risks
French President Emmanuel Macron cautioned that Europe cannot appear weak. “If we are weak with Russia today, we’ll be preparing the conflicts of tomorrow and they will impact the Ukrainians and — make no mistake — they can impact us, too,” he said.
European officials view Trump’s ambition to quickly end the war as both an opportunity and a risk. Some noted that his Alaska meeting with Putin yielded “possible contours” of a settlement but left major questions unresolved, including whether peace would require a ceasefire.
Trump has downplayed the need for one, aligning with Putin’s stance. “BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA,” he posted Sunday, while complaining about negative media coverage of his talks with the Russian leader.
As leaders debated peace in Washington, Russia continued its offensive inside Ukraine. A drone strike late Sunday on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, killed seven civilians and injured 20 more, authorities said.
Missile and drone attacks also struck the Sumy and Odesa regions, while in Zaporizhzhia, 17 people were injured in an assault on Monday, regional head Ivan Fedorov reported.
Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched four Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 140 Shahed and decoy drones overnight, with 88 drones intercepted or jammed.
Hours before meeting Zelenskyy and European leaders, Trump claimed he had “settled 6 wars in 6 months, one of them a possible Nuclear disaster,” and stressed that the conflict in Ukraine was “Sleepy Joe Biden’s war, not mine.” He added: “I’m only here to stop it, not to prosecute it any further. It would have NEVER happened if I was President.”
Trump accused foreign policy experts and media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, of misleading the public. “They are ‘STUPID’ people, with no common sense, intelligence, or understanding, and they only make the current R/U disaster more difficult to FIX. Despite all of my lightweight and very jealous critics, I’ll get it done — I always do!!!” he wrote.
Zelenskyy, for his part, struck a conciliatory note ahead of their talks, saying Trump has the “strength to force Russia into peace.” The Ukrainian leader has repeatedly sought assurances that Washington will remain Kyiv’s key ally despite Trump’s calls for a negotiated end to the war.
The meeting between the two leaders, alongside European counterparts, is due to take place in a few hours.
Zelenskyy rallies European backing
Zelenskyy, arriving in Washington with what observers called an “extraordinary cadre” of European leaders, emphasized the importance of a united approach. “It’s important that America agrees to work with Europe to provide security guarantees for Ukraine, and therefore for all of Europe,” he said on X.
The Ukrainian president also sought to reassure supporters that Kyiv was committed to a durable peace. “We all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably,” he posted, cautioning against a repeat of 2014, when Russia’s seizure of Crimea became a “springboard for a new attack.”
Earlier on Monday, Zelenskyy told reporters he believed Trump has the “strength to force Russia into peace.”
European heavyweights converge on Washington
Joining Zelenskyy in the US capital are European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
The unusual joint appearance comes after many of these leaders were excluded from Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last Friday. European officials said they wanted to avoid a repeat of Zelenskyy’s February Oval Office visit, when Trump scolded him for not showing enough gratitude for US military aid.
Monday’s gathering is also a test of transatlantic relations after the EU and UK reluctantly accepted Trump’s tariff hikes in hopes of keeping Washington firmly engaged on Ukraine.
On the table are proposals for NATO-like security guarantees for Ukraine as part of any peace framework. While Putin opposes Ukraine’s NATO accession outright, Trump’s envoys have suggested Moscow may be open to Western allies committing to defend Ukraine if attacked again.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio described such a commitment as “a very big move,” telling US media that discussions could run for “six, seven hours” as allies try to build an enforceable framework.
But challenges remain. European officials said Trump relayed that Putin still insists on controlling the entire Donbas region, a demand Zelenskyy has repeatedly called unconstitutional and unacceptable. Diplomats said Zelenskyy may be pressured to accept compromises, raising the risk he could be blamed for blocking talks.
Macron warns of broader risks
French President Emmanuel Macron cautioned that Europe cannot appear weak. “If we are weak with Russia today, we’ll be preparing the conflicts of tomorrow and they will impact the Ukrainians and — make no mistake — they can impact us, too,” he said.
European officials view Trump’s ambition to quickly end the war as both an opportunity and a risk. Some noted that his Alaska meeting with Putin yielded “possible contours” of a settlement but left major questions unresolved, including whether peace would require a ceasefire.
Trump has downplayed the need for one, aligning with Putin’s stance. “BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA,” he posted Sunday, while complaining about negative media coverage of his talks with the Russian leader.
As leaders debated peace in Washington, Russia continued its offensive inside Ukraine. A drone strike late Sunday on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, killed seven civilians and injured 20 more, authorities said.
Missile and drone attacks also struck the Sumy and Odesa regions, while in Zaporizhzhia, 17 people were injured in an assault on Monday, regional head Ivan Fedorov reported.
Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched four Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 140 Shahed and decoy drones overnight, with 88 drones intercepted or jammed.
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