Trump Criticizes Zelenskyy’s War Strategy in Fox News Interview

WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump suggested in a Fox News interview that aired Thursday night that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy should not have resisted Russia‘s invasion. “Zelenskyy was fighting a much bigger entity, much bigger, much more powerful,” Trump told host Sean Hannity. “He shouldn’t have done that, because we could have made a deal.”

Trump argued that he could have negotiated a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to avoid the war, a stance he reiterated during the interview. “I could have made that deal so easily, and Zelenskyy decided that ‘I want to fight,'” Trump said. He also compared the military capabilities of Ukraine and Russia, emphasizing Russia’s superior tank numbers. “You don’t fight those,” Trump added.

The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Trump’s remarks. The Ukrainian Embassy in Washington also remained silent.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, leading to hundreds of thousands of casualties. Former President Joe Biden, who was in office at the time, consistently supported Ukraine, providing aid packages and praising Zelenskyy’s leadership. The Biden administration also imposed sanctions on Russia in response to the invasion.

Trump, however, has taken a different approach, criticizing Zelenskyy in the interview. “Zelenskyy is no angel,” Trump said, adding that the Ukrainian leader “shouldn’t have allowed this war to happen.” Trump also warned that if Russia does not move to “settle this war soon,” the U.S. would impose “massive tariffs” and “big sanctions” on Moscow.

Trump has previously claimed he could end the war, but there are no signs of progress toward a resolution. In September, he said he would work to broker a deal “that’s good for both sides.” However, his comments have drawn criticism for their perceived leniency toward Russia.

The interview, recorded Wednesday, aired in two parts on Fox News. The second part, which included Trump’s remarks on Zelenskyy, was broadcast Thursday night.