Donald Trump has once again falsely blamed Volodymyr Zelensky for “starting” the war in Ukraine without acknowledging Vladimir Putin’s military invasion in February 2022.
The US president was asked about Mr Zelensky’s recent offer to purchase more Patriot air defence systems from the Trump administration.
“I don’t know. He’s always looking to purchase missiles, you know, he’s against… listen. When you start a war, you got to know that you can win the war, right? You don’t start a war against somebody that’s 20 times your size. And then hope that people give you some missiles,” Mr Trump said.
His remarks come shortly after he defended Russia’s “terrible” missile attack on Sumy as a “mistake”.
“I think it was terrible and I was told they made a mistake, but I think it’s a horrible thing. I think the whole war is a horrible thing,” he told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday evening, referring to the attack that killed 34 and injured at least 117 people.
Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky has urged Mr Trump to visit the country and see the devastation for himself.
Putin is ‘mocking’ Trump’s goodwill with Ukraine attacks, Poland says
Polish foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski has said he hoped the US president Donald Trump and his administration would see that Vladimir Putin was “mocking their goodwill” following Moscow’s deadly missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy.
“Ukraine unconditionally agreed to a ceasefire over a month ago. The heinous attacks on Kryvyi Rih and on Sumy is Russia’s mocking answer,” Mr Sikorski said on arrival at a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Luxembourg.
“I hope that president Trump and the US administration see that the leader of Russia is mocking their goodwill and I hope the right decisions are taken,” he said.
Watch: Trump again blames Zelensky for ‘starting’ Ukraine war
Why is Trump trying to excuse Russia’s latest massacre?
For a showman given to overarching high-wire performances in every theatre at home and abroad, Donald Trump’s recent criticisms of Russia have been distinctly mumbled – showing he doesn’t have the courage of his lack of conviction.
“I was told they made a mistake,” he said.
One can only guess whether he made this claim after talking with Vladimir Putin’s officials. It seems more likely that he came up with the line to avoid further global condemnation of Russia for another war crime.
Captured Chinese soldier says Russia took his army pay
A Chinese national fighting in Ukraine alongside Russian forces has said Russia’s army took his conscription money and he never got to use the pay.
Zhang Renbo, captured in Donetsk region by Ukrainian Defense Forces, said that the bank card, on which he was receiving his military fee from the Russian army contract, was only used by Russian soldiers.
“I received a card with a deposit of 200,000 rubles (£1842), but I couldn’t use it. In fact, the money, along with the phone that had the app linked to the card, was periodically taken by Russians and spent under the pretense of fuel expenses or chargers. So I was unable to use that money myself,” Zhang said at a press conference with Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform.
One killed in Ukrainian drone attack on Kursk
A Ukrainian overnight drone attack killed an 85-year-old woman, injured nine people and sparked fires in several buildings in the Russian city of Kursk near the border with Ukraine, regional officials said this morning.
More than 20 blasts shook the Russian territory, according to preliminary reports from Russia’s Telegram channels Baza and SHOT, who cited sources in the security services and law enforcment.
“Kursk has been subjected to a massive enemy attack overnight,” the Kursk region administration said on its Telegram channel.
A multi-storey apartment building was damaged in result of the drone attack, with several flats catching fire, acting mayor of Kursk, Sergei Kotlyarov said on Telegram.
Residents have been evacuated to a nearby school, he added.
Drones also hit also an ambulance garage, damaging 11 cars, the region’s administration said.
Series of blasts shake Russia’s Kursk near Ukrainian border
A series of blasts shook the Russian city of Kursk near the border with Ukraine early this morning, reported Baza and SHOT Telegram channels, which often publish information from sources in the security services and law enforcement.
According to the preliminary reports, residential buildings have been damaged in the region facing Ukrainian incursion. Photos shared by the Telegram channels showed what looked like a multi-storey residential building on fire at night.
Trump defends Russia after missile attack kills 34: ‘Mistake’
US President Donald Trump has defended Russia’s “terrible” missile attack on Sumy as a “mistake”.
“I think it was terrible and I was told they made a mistake, but I think it’s a horrible thing. I think the whole war is a horrible thing,” he told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday evening.
Trump envoy says Ukraine could be carved up like post-war Berlin
Ukraine could be partitioned like Berlin after the Second World War as part of a peace deal, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia has suggested.
Retired lieutenant general Keith Kellogg said in an interview with The Times that UK and French troops could adopt zones of control in the west of the country, forming a “reassurance force”.
Russia’s army could remain in the occupied east, and between the two would be Ukrainian forces and a demilitarised zone, said Gen Kellogg, who was previously national security adviser to former vice-president Mike Pence.
Russian missile strike kills dozens in Palm Sunday attack on Ukraine’s Sumy
Two ballistic weapons hit the city centre at about 10:15 am local time [GMT 07:15] on one of busiest church-going days of the year, destroying a bus and several cars.
Pictures from the scene showed lines of black body bags on the side of the road and bodies wrapped in foil blankets.
Trump again blames Zelensky for ‘starting’ Ukraine war
Donald Trump has once again falsely blamed Volodymyr Zelensky for “starting” the war in Ukraine without acknowledging Russia’s military invasion.
The US president was asked about Mr Zelensky’s recent offer to purchase more Patriot missiles from the Trump administration.
“I don’t know. He’s always looking to purchase missiles, you know, he’s against… listen. When you start a war, you got to know that you can win the war, right? You don’t start a war against somebody that’s 20 times your size. And then hope that people give you some missiles,” Mr Trump said.
He has previously also blamed Mr Zelensky for “starting” the Ukraine war, called the Ukrainian president a “dictator” and then refuted his own statement.
In February this year, the US president pointed fingers at Kyiv for Moscow’s 2022 invasion and claimed Ukraine had “started the war” in remarks that sent shockwaves around the world.
Source: independent.co.uk
