Zelenskyy fires back at Trump’s remarks with strong response

“President Donald Trump, with all due respect to him as the leader of a nation we greatly respect, lives in a bubble of Russian disinformation,” said Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his press conference, commenting on the sensational statements made by the American leader. Trump suggested that Ukraine is largely to blame for the war with Russia and that Zelenskyy, who allegedly lacks the trust of the Ukrainian people, should immediately organize elections for a new head of state.

Zelenskyy emphasized that the United States is bringing Russia out of global isolation by engaging in bilateral negotiations in Riyadh. He also informed journalists that the primary focus now is on what kind of real support Ukraine can expect from the EU and the UK if U.S. support is reduced.

The President of Ukraine also firmly rejected a proposed U.S. agreement regarding Ukraine’s mineral resources, stressing that he is not prepared to accept such a deal at this time. “I cannot sell our country,” Zelenskyy underscored, while also dismissing any suggestion of making broad concessions to Russia. He emphasized that any such idea would be widely rejected by the Ukrainian people.

Zelenskyy called on U.S. representative General Keith Kellogg, who arrived in Kyiv today to address the Russia-Ukraine conflict, to speak with ordinary Ukrainians about their perception of the American president’s comments. He also strongly opposed the use of the word “conflict” to describe the Russia-Ukraine war, reminding that he had similar objections during the previous U.S. administration.

"Addressing the issue of trust among Ukrainians, Zelenskyy stated that 57% of Ukrainians trust him today. He noted that while he does not release his own ratings, this level of trust indicates that he cannot simply be replaced at this moment. This was also a direct response to Trump’s claim about Zelenskyy’s supposed unpopularity."

Speaking about Ukraine’s key priorities in relations with the United States, Zelenskyy reiterated that he is willing to negotiate an agreement concerning Ukrainian mineral resources, but only if Ukraine receives reliable security guarantees. He also pointed out that signing such a document is beyond his authority as head of state because it is based on the jurisdiction of New York laws rather than those of the U.S. or Ukraine.

“We all want victory. We want Trump to win. We want Ukraine to win, for all of us to succeed, but there is nothing clear in this agreement,” Zelenskyy said. He suggested postponing this discussion and continuing talks about Ukraine’s defense.

Further addressing security guarantees outside of NATO, Zelenskyy once again stressed that the North Atlantic Alliance remains the strongest guarantee for Ukraine. He noted that Ukraine does not necessarily need American troops with air defense systems, as the country has its own people and soldiers to operate such systems.

"However, Zelenskyy raised an important question: Could Ukraine obtain licenses for the production of missiles or components for the Patriot air defense system? He explained that Ukraine is running out of missiles to counter Russian attacks. According to him, in the mornings, the Air Defense Command reports incoming enemy missiles, but there are no means to shoot them down."

On the issue of security guarantees outside of NATO, Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine wants guarantees this year and aims to end the war this year. “Every time I say ‘NATO,’ they don’t want us to even mention the word, but that is exactly where we stand. Any security guarantees can be obtained either through NATO or by strengthening the Ukrainian army with serious funding, new weapons, and effective air defense,” Zelenskyy said in response to U.S. President Donald Trump.

What do I want to say? I think I don’t need to explain that I have never been a political supporter of Volodymyr Zelenskyy. However, those who are now celebrating Donald Trump’s words about the Ukrainian president must understand that this is not about Zelenskyy personally—it is an attack on the institution and an attack on Ukrainian statehood.

Trump demands elections but does not explain how elections can be held during Russia’s war against Ukraine. He claims that Zelenskyy has lost the trust of Ukrainians but does not clarify what procedures could be used during wartime to elect someone else who would have public trust.

"And we see that politicians from different camps, as well as military figures like Petro Poroshenko and Valerii Zaluzhnyi, explicitly reject even the possibility of discussing elections at this time. They understand how much this would weaken the Ukrainian state at a moment when Putin continues to hope for its destruction this very year."

I would like to remind you that this is precisely what one of Putin’s closest associates, former Secretary of Russia’s Security Council General Nikolai Patrushev, has said—that by the end of this year, Ukraine will no longer exist on the political map of the world. This is Russia’s goal. These are the forecasts that Russian intelligence presents to Putin daily. And this is exactly why Putin is trying to use his negotiations with the new U.S. administration.

So, in broad terms, we must understand a very simple thing—Russia does not need a so-called “legitimate” president of Ukraine because Putin does not recognize any Ukrainian leader as legitimate since the Maidan events of 2013-2014. What he wants is to restore the dominance of pro-Russian forces in Ukraine. How they will seize power and what that power will be based on is not a concern for Putin, who, as we know, has usurped power in his own country through force and intelligence services.

"Trump, by talking about electing a new Ukrainian president, may be personally irritated by Zelenskyy. But it is obvious that he hopes Zelenskyy’s successor will be someone who will agree to any conditions of a Russian-American deal to end the war."

However, first of all, we understand perfectly well that any Ukrainian president—unless they are a Russian agent—will defend the national interests of our country, not those of Russia, and will not submit to its demands. And second, who said that Putin is even considering agreeing to a ceasefire on the Russian-Ukrainian front? After all, he is using Trump precisely to break Russia’s global isolation, at least in the civilized world—not to stop the war or the attacks on Ukraine.

And the strikes on Ukraine the very night after Russian-American consultations demonstrated exactly how Russian leaders view their American counterparts—with contempt, as weaklings, with a clear desire to manipulate them. Not only do they want to continue attacking Ukraine, but they also aim to weaken the global influence of the United States itself. And this needs to be spoken about openly—no amount of flattery toward Donald Trump, whether from his closest associates or supporters, will change the truth, which will sooner or later become obvious to everyone.

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About the author: Vitaly Portnikov, journalist, laureate of Ukraine’s National Shevchenko Prize.

The editorial team does not always share the opinions expressed by blog authors.