Trump makes most ridiculous claim about Russia and Ukraine yet – and Zelensky’s reaction says it all

Donald Trump has made some bold claims about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in the past, not least claiming that he’d be able to stop the war in 24 hours before being elected as president. Evidently, that’s not proving the case.

However, one of his comments from his most recent meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago is coming in for ridicule online and a subtle reaction from Zelensky himself also spoke volumes.

The comment in question? Trump claimed that Putin’s Russia “wants Ukraine to do well”.

This is the same Russia that orchestrated a huge strike on Kyiv a day earlier which appeared to hit a Kyiv apartment block, engulfing buildings in flames, killing two people and drew accusations that Vladimir Putin had no interest in ending the war.

When asked about that strike by a journalist, Trump replied: “I could say that Ukraine has leveled some pretty strong attacks also,” Trump countered to a reporter who asked on Sunday about a strike one day earlier that appeared to hit a Kyiv apartment block, engulfing buildings in flames.

“Russia wants Ukraine to succeed,” Trump claimed.

Zelensky jerked his head in apparent surprise at the comment, and drew quite the reaction on social media.

The Call to Activism account claimed it was the "dumbest" thing Trump had ever said.

Speaking after the meeting, Zelensky said he and Trump discussed all aspects of the peace framework and that the 20-point draft plan was 90 per cent agreed, while US-Ukraine security guarantees were “100 per cent agreed” and US-Europe-Ukraine security guarantees were “almost agreed”.

Trump said it was “very complicated stuff” but agreed it “could be close to 95 per cent” done.

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