US President Donald Trump has labeled Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky a “dictator without elections,” accusing him of mismanaging the conflict with Russia and misusing American financial aid. Tensions between Washington and Kiev have intensified following US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia this week.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 19, 2025
Posting on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, Trump criticized Zelensky, stating that the Ukrainian leader had “talked the United States of America into spending $350 Billion Dollars, to go into a War that couldn’t be won.” He further claimed that Zelensky “refuses to have Elections, is very low in Ukrainian Polls.”
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“A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left,” Trump warned.’
Trump’s assertions follow high-level talks between US and Russian officials in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday. The delegations discussed future Ukraine peace talks and a potential summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The discussions, which lasted 4.5 hours, did not include Ukrainian or other European representatives. The exclusion has drawn criticism from Kiev and its EU backers, with complaints that their interests are being sidelined in critical negotiations affecting regional security.
In response to the US-Russia talks, Zelensky addressed the media, expressing surprise and concern over Kiev’s absence from the meeting. He emphasized the importance of Ukrainian participation in any peace negotiations, stating that decisions made without Ukraine could undermine the nation’s sovereignty and the prospects for a lasting peace.
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Ukrainian politicians and media have responded with anger to the talks in Saudi Arabia. Reactions have ranged from accusations that Trump is “capitulating” to Putin and “betraying” Ukraine, to criticism of the EU for its role in the developments.
EU officials have expressed frustration over Washington’s unilateral peace efforts after learning that the bloc would be excluded from US-Russia talks. French President Emmanuel Macron convened an emergency meeting on Monday, attended by leaders from Germany, the UK, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands, and Denmark, along with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO chief Mark Rutte. The discussions centered on the possible deployment of EU troops to Ukraine and the commitment of European NATO members to increase defense spending. However, according to several attendees, no concrete decisions were reached on either issue.
Talking to reporters after the Riyadh talks on Tuesday, Trump called for Ukraine to conduct elections, suggesting that Zelensky’s leadership lacks legitimacy. Zelensky canceled the presidential elections in Ukraine last year, citing martial law due to the ongoing conflict.
Russia has also said it considers Zelensky – whose term expired in May 2024 – “illegitimate” and recognizes the Ukrainian parliament and its speaker as the only legitimate authority in the country. Russian officials have warned that any international treaties Zelensky signs could face challenges, and have expressed doubt about his ability to secure lasting agreements.