In a controversial statement, Russian officials have commended former U.S. President Donald Trump for what they described as his “restraint” in dealing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his time in office.
The remarks, made by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, included a harsh critique of Zelensky, whom she labeled a “scumbag” while accusing him of manipulating international support to prolong the war with Russia.
According to Zakharova, Trump’s stance on Ukraine was significantly different from that of the Biden administration, which has provided billions of dollars in military and financial aid to Kyiv since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. She suggested that under Trump, Ukraine’s position would have been weaker, potentially preventing the escalation of the war.
The statement has drawn reactions from political analysts, with some seeing it as an attempt by Moscow to influence the 2024 U.S. presidential election, where Trump returned to power. The former U.S. president has previously expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, and his stance on NATO and Ukraine remains a contentious issue in American politics.
While neither Trump nor Zelensky has officially responded to the latest comments, the remarks highlight the geopolitical tensions surrounding the war in Ukraine and the role of global superpowers in shaping its outcome.