Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged the Trump administration on Wednesday to uphold the truth and steer clear of disinformation regarding the war that commenced with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, marking his first reaction to President Trump’s claim that Ukraine instigated the conflict.
“I hope to see more honesty from the Trump team,” Mr. Zelensky remarked to reporters in Kyiv as part of a larger dialogue about the administration, which began peace negotiations with Russia this week without Ukrainian involvement. He indicated that the U.S. president was “immersed in a realm of disinformation” and ensnared in a “circle of misinformation.”
The comments, made from his fortified presidential office in Kyiv—still reinforced with sandbags to protect against Russian missile strikes—represent some of the most direct criticisms of Mr. Trump and his perspective on the ongoing war.
Up until this week, Mr. Zelensky had skillfully navigated Ukrainian stances while steering clear of overt conflicts with the United States, Ukraine’s key ally in the nearly three-year-old war. Following the preliminary cease-fire discussions between Russia and the U.S., Mr. Zelensky clearly rejected accepting any terms brokered without Ukrainian input on Tuesday.
Later that Tuesday, Mr. Trump remarked on Ukraine’s leadership and the war, stating, “You should have never started it,” and seemed to endorse a Russian demand for Ukraine to conduct elections prior to advancing certain stages of the discussions. Elections had been suspended under martial law following Russia’s assault in February 2022.
Mr. Trump also claimed that Mr. Zelensky’s approval rating was 4 percent, a statement Mr. Zelensky refuted by citing polls indicating significantly higher approval.
During the news conference, Mr. Zelensky was composed and spoke passionately. He mentioned that he was unfazed by the negotiations with the Trump administration. “This is not my first dialogue or conflict,” he stated. “I remain calm.”
He noted that Russia seemed to be pleased with the recent diplomatic changes. “I think Putin and the Russians are very content, as discussions are being held with them,” Mr. Zelensky pointed out.
“Yesterday, the Trump officials seemed to adopt a tone of discussing them as victims,” he said in reference to how the Trump administration approached discussions about Russian officials, whose government instigated the largest conflict in Europe since World War II, resulting in approximately a million casualties over three years. “That is something unprecedented.”
