Trump intensifies war of words with Zelensky

KYIV — Relations between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump deteriorated rapidly on Wednesday as Zelensky said Trump was living in a "disinformation space", and Trump called Zelensky "a dictator without elections" in comments that were sure to complicate efforts to end the conflict.

Zelensky also said he would like Trump's team "to be more truthful "as he offered his first response to a series of striking claims that Trump made a day earlier, including suggesting that Kyiv was to blame for the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which enters its fourth year next week.

The comments were a staggering back-and-forth between leaders of two countries that have been staunch allies in recent years under Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden.

The Trump administration has started charting a new course, reaching out to Russia and pushing for a peace deal. Senior officials from both countries held talks on Tuesday to discuss improving ties, negotiating an end to the conflict and potentially preparing a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin after years of frosty relations.

Trump lashed out at Zelensky in a social media post that apparently referred to the fact that Ukraine has delayed elections because of the conflict and the subsequent imposition of martial law by the Ukrainian Constitution.

Trump also called Zelensky "a modestly successful comedian" who "talked the United States of America into spending $350 Billion Dollars, to go into a War that couldn't be won, that never had to start, but a War that he, without the US and 'TRUMP', will never be able to settle".

The president went on to advise Zelensky to "move fast or he is not going to have a Country left".

The outburst followed Zelensky's comments on Tuesday that Trump "lives in this disinformation space "fostered by Moscow when he asserted that Ukraine "should never have started" the conflict.

Separately, Zelensky has suggested giving US companies the right to extract valuable minerals in Ukraine in return for US security guarantees.

He rejected a US proposal last week that would have seen Washington receiving 50 percent of Ukraine's critical minerals, including lithium, a key component in electric car batteries.

Zelensky told reporters on Wednesday that the deal was too focused on US interests, saying, "I can't sell our country."

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Wednesday, Trump said Ukraine had "more or less "agreed to the proposal and complained that US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was treated "rather rudely" while visiting Kyiv.

The president said he would seek to resurrect the minerals deal.

Possible meeting

Meanwhile, Putin said he would like to meet with Trump.

Russia started its special military operation on Feb 24, 2022, accusing the US and its allies of ignoring Russia's demand to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO and to offer Moscow security guarantees.

"I would like to have a meeting, but it needs to be prepared so that it brings results," Putin said on Wednesday in televised remarks.

He added that he would be "pleased" to meet Trump but noted that Trump has acknowledged that a Ukrainian settlement could take longer than he initially hoped.

The Russian leader hailed Tuesday's talks between senior Russian and US officials in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as "very positive".

"The goal and subject" of the talks "was the restoration of Russia-US relations", Putin said.

"Without increasing the level of trust between Russia and the United States, it is impossible to resolve many issues, including the Ukrainian crisis. The goal of this meeting was precisely to increase trust between Russia and the United States."

Agencies - Xinhua