Culture Society, Identity and Belonging
Many of President Trump’s comments on Ukraine since his call last week with Putin could have been scripted by the Kremlin. Ben Wallace, the former UK defence secretary, has called some of them “genuine fake news”.
Ukraine’s President Zelensky says Trump is being directly influenced by Russian propaganda.
Last night Keir Starmer and Germany’s Olaf Scholz offered Zelensky their support after Trump said Zelensky had been doing “a terrible job”.
There’s a case to be made that if the underlying White House strategy is to flood the zone with distractions to keep political opposition and the press off balance, the right response is to ignore Trump’s words and focus on his actions.
But he is the elected president of the United States.
His words matter – either as a reflection of the views of those who voted for him if American democracy is still functioning, or as evidence that it isn’t.
Below is a list of some of the things he has said, with Russian source material suggestions where appropriate and a good-faith stab at the truth.
On who started the war
Trump: "[Ukraine] should have never started [the war].”
Putin: "It was they who started the war in 2014. Our goal is to stop this war. And we did not start this war in 2022," (Interview with Tucker Carlson, February 2024).
Facts: Russia launched a full-scale, unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 after having annexed Crimea and occupied part of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine in 2014. Ukraine is defending itself against the aggressor.
On aid to Ukraine
Trump: “I think Europe has given $100 billion and we’ve given, let’s say, $300 [billion]-plus, and it’s more important for them than it is for us.”
Facts: From 24 January 2022 to 31 December 2024 the EU and its member states provided aid worth €132.3 billion to Ukraine, with commitments for €115.1 billion more. The US has provided aid worth €114.2 billion, with €4.84 billion more to come.
On Zelensky’s legitimacy
Trump: “A Dictator without Elections, Zelensky better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left.”
Putin: “You can negotiate with anyone, but because of his illegitimacy, [Zelensky] has no right to sign anything.” (Interview with Rossiya 1 state TV, January 2025).
Facts: Zelensky’s five-year term should have ended in May 2024, but since the February 2022 invasion Ukraine has been under martial law, during which elections are not allowed. Zelensky has vowed to hold elections when the war ends. Last November, Ukraine’s parliament backed postponing elections until the war ends.
On Zelensky’s ratings
Trump: “I hate to say it, but he’s down at 4 per cent approval rating.’
RIA Novosti, the Russian news agency, reported on Wednesday that a Ukrainian MP accused by authorities of “operating at the behest of Russian intelligence” had published the results of an unofficial poll purporting to show that if elections were held the next day, 97 per cent of nearly 13,000 respondents would vote for a household mop.
Facts: As of December 2024, 52 per cent of Ukrainians said they trusted Zelensky, 39 per cent said they didn’t and 9 per cent couldn’t decide, according to the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology. The trust-distrust balance is plus 13 per cent.
On Russian war aims
Trump: “Russia does not intend to destroy Kyiv. If they had wanted to, they would have done it. Russia is capable of wiping out Ukrainian cities 100 per cent, including Kyiv, but right now, they are only attacking at 20 per cent.”
Facts: Since February 2022 Russia has fired about 10,000 missiles at Ukrainian targets, including ballistic and hypersonic weapons. It has launched more than 15,000 drones and destroyed hundreds of schools, libraries, hospitals and power plants.
