Trump Strongly Criticized Zelenski and Demanded Fair Elections in Ukraine

President Donald Trump attacked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski, calling him a "dictator without elections" in a furious message posted on his platform Truth Social this Wednesday, a day after a U.S. delegation met with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia.

Trump's strong criticism emerged after Ukraine was not included in the peace talks held in Saudi Arabia, which were the first discussions of this kind since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Zelenski, upon learning that Ukraine did not have a seat at the negotiating table, expressed his displeasure at the lack of representation for his country.

Trump lashed out at Zelenski in his post, mentioning that the Ukrainian president should act quickly if he wants to maintain his nation's integrity. He attributed the lack of progress in the war to the lack of efforts by the Biden administration and considered that Europe has failed to achieve peace.

Trump also suggested that Zelenski wanted to continue receiving excessive financial support ("the money machine"), and indicated that, although he likes Ukraine, Zelenski has done a poor job in his leadership, resulting in the destruction of his country and the death of millions of people, many of them unnecessary.

Zelenski replied to Trump's criticisms, accusing him of being in a "disinformation space" regarding the peace negotiations with Russia. In a press conference in Kyiv, after canceling a trip to Saudi Arabia, Zelenski expressed his respect for the American people and for Trump as a leader of a nation that has always supported Ukraine.

However, he pointed out that Trump was misinformed about the peace efforts. The cancellation of his trip to Saudi Arabia was seen as a criticism of the agreements reached by Trump's team with the Russians at Tuesday's meeting, and was followed by Trump's fierce criticism of Ukraine.

Trump also suggested that Ukraine should have ended the conflict three years ago and that it should never have started. He added that Zelenski could have reached an agreement with Russia before the situation became so severe, implying that Ukraine bears some responsibility for the conflict.

This statement increased tensions with the Ukrainian government, which considers its nation to be the victim of an ''unjustified Russian invasion.''

Trump's envoy, retired General Keith Kellogg, arrived in Kyiv to hold talks with Zelenski. During an interview with Ukrainian media, Kellogg reiterated the United States' commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and independence and emphasized the importance of listening to the Ukrainian government's needs.

He also acknowledged the need for security guarantees for Ukraine in any peace agreement, to prevent Russia from continuing its operation on Ukrainian soil.

Meanwhile, a U.S. delegation, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, met in Saudi Arabia with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed that Rubio's team agreed to lay the groundwork for cooperation with Russia on various issues, including the conflict in Ukraine. It was also agreed to form "high-level teams" to begin working on a path to end the conflict.

The proposed framework for a peace agreement would include a ceasefire, followed by transparent elections in Ukraine and the signing of a final agreement.

Foreign diplomatic sources reported that the possibility of convincing Ukraine to hold new elections could be a key element in a peace agreement.

Both the United States and Russia consider that the chances of Zelenski winning reelection are very low, and some diplomats believe that any candidate other than Zelenski could be more flexible and willing to negotiate and make concessions.

Meanwhile, Zelenski continues to seek international support, mainly in Europe, to continue the war with Russia, peace talks on different fronts continue, but with deep divisions over the terms and conditions that should govern any final agreement.