Former U.S. President Donald Trump reignited controversy on Monday by once again holding his successor, Joe Biden, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accountable for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. According to Trump, the conflict would never have occurred if the 2020 U.S. presidential election had not been "rigged."
"This is Biden's war, not mine. I just got here, and during my four-year term, I had no trouble preventing this from happening. President Putin and everyone else respected your president!" Trump declared in a post on his Truth Social platform.
Despite his repeated campaign promises that he could end the war started by Putin within 24 hours once in power, Trump reiterated on Monday that he bears no responsibility for a conflict that began after the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the subsequent low-intensity warfare promoted by Putin in the Donbas region. He asserted that he is "working tirelessly to stop the death and destruction."
"If the 2020 presidential election hadn't been RIGGED—and it was, in many ways—this horrible war would never have happened. President Zelensky and corrupt Joe Biden did an absolutely terrible job allowing this tragedy to begin. There were many ways to prevent it," stated Trump, who during his first term did not address the issue and allowed Russia to escalate the conflict and prepare for its large-scale invasion in February 2022.
These remarks come after a Russian missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Sumy during Palm Sunday, which left at least 34 people dead and over 100 injured.
Speaking to the press from Air Force One, Trump described the attack as a "mistake" but did not directly condemn Russia or Putin. This stance has drawn criticism, including from President Zelensky, who invited Trump to visit Ukraine to witness the devastation caused by the war firsthand.
On Monday, during the official reception at the White House for El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, Trump reiterated his accusation that Zelensky "started the war," a falsehood attributed by experts to Kremlin disinformation campaigns that have influenced the current administration. "Zelensky is always looking to buy missiles. Listen, when you start a war, you need to know you can win it. You don't start a war with someone twenty times your size and then expect people to give you missiles," Trump said.
Zelensky responded to Trump's statements by noting that the former president "lives in a bubble of disinformation." Tensions between the two leaders have increased, especially after Trump excluded Ukraine from U.S.-Russia peace talks held in Riyadh and labeled the Ukrainian leader as a "dictator without elections."
The international community has condemned the attack in Sumy, labeling it a war crime. European leaders, such as French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, have called for tougher sanctions against Russia and increased support for Ukraine.
While Trump continues to push his narrative that the war is a result of Biden and Zelensky's decisions, the situation in Ukraine remains dire, with civilians suffering from Russian attacks and the absence of an immediate resolution to the conflict.
Understanding the Blame Game Between Trump, Biden, and Zelensky
Why does Trump blame Biden and Zelensky for the Russian invasion?
Trump claims that the conflict would not have occurred if the 2020 U.S. presidential election had not been "rigged," asserting that the decisions made by Biden and Zelensky allowed the war to begin.
How has the international community reacted to the situation in Ukraine?
The international community, including European leaders, has condemned the Russian missile attack in Sumy as a war crime and called for stricter sanctions against Russia while increasing support for Ukraine.