Donald Trump blamed Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the war between his country and Russia, even though it was Russia that invaded Ukraine and seeks to occupy its territory.
Trump made his comments during an interview on Patrick Bet-David’s “PBD Podcast,” which has been a venue for conspiracy theorists and bigots.
“[Zelenskyy] should never have let that war start, the war’s a loser,” Trump said. Trump went on to blame the war that began in 2022 on President Joe Biden, who he blamed for using words “that were the exact opposite of what he should have been saying.”
In reality, the war began in February 2022 after Russian President Vladimir Putin falsely claimed that regions of Ukraine were under control by neo-Nazis and sent his military across the border between the two nations.
The war has claimed the lives of thousands in the region. The Wall Street Journal reported that a confidential Ukrainian estimate of the death toll said that 80,000 of that nation’s troops have been killed and 400,000 wounded. The combined death and wounded total between Russia and Ukraine is a reported 1 million people.
Trump’s characterization of how the war began is in line with his frequently expressed admiration and support for Putin.
Russia authorized a disinformation campaign designed to benefit Trump in the 2016 presidential election, according to a joint assessment by U.S. intelligence agencies, a bipartisan Senate investigation, and the inquiry by special counsel Robert Mueller.
Trump has described Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine as “savvy” and called it a “genius” action.
Journalist Bob Woodward reported in his newly released book that Trump provided Putin with a COVID-19 test machine for his personal use in 2020, even as Americans struggled to secure medical supplies to deal with the virus.
In his September meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump claimed—without evidence—that Putin wants an end to the war.
Since the war began, the United States under Biden has provided assistance to Ukraine to repel the Russian invasion, as have other NATO nations like the United Kingdom and France. Trump has said on several occasions that he would cut off that aid if he is elected.
Vice President Kamala Harris has pledged that American support for Ukraine would continue if she wins the election.
“Five days before Russia attacked Ukraine, I met with President Zelensky to warn him about Russia’s plan to invade. I helped mobilize a global response—over 50 countries—to defend against Putin’s aggression,” Harris said in her acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention in August. “As president, I will stand strong with Ukraine and our NATO allies.”
