The US and Ukraine appear to be heading for an irreconcilable rift after President Donald Trump stepped up his attacks on Volodymyr Zelensky, calling the Ukrainian president a “dictator“ and warning him that “he had better act fast“ or “he won't have a country left“, writes the “Guardian“ newspaper, BTA reported.
The US leader's comments last night, which were full of false claims, came after Zelensky said that Trump was “trapped“ of the Russian “disinformation bubble“, in response to Trump's claims that Ukraine was to blame for Russia's invasion in 2022, the publication points out.
The unprecedented escalation of tensions between Kiev and Washington began after senior US and Russian officials met in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to discuss the war in Ukraine, as well as economic and political cooperation between the two countries, demonstrating a fundamental shift in the US approach to Moscow, commented “The Guardian“.
Trump's revisionism is preparing the ground for a geopolitical turn unlike any other in generations at a time when the US president has begun talks with Russia that Ukraine fears could be at its expense, the newspaper writes. “New York Times“.
By smearing Zelensky and shifting blame for the war from Moscow to Kiev, Trump appears to be laying the groundwork for withdrawing support for his ally, the newspaper commented.
The heated exchange between Trump and Zelensky demonstrates how much has changed since the new president took office in Washington, writes “The New York Times“. The US president's claims have caused shock and surprise on both sides of the Atlantic.
Trump's attacks on Zelensky have sparked outrage among European leaders, Democrats in Washington and even some Republicans, the newspaper commented.
Behind the war of words lies growing concern in the US and Europe that the sharp shift in US policy towards Russia could become the most significant geopolitical realignment since World War II, the newspaper wrote. “Washington Post“.
Although Trump was sympathetic to Putin during his first term, he now seems to have decided to break with the traditional American wariness of the Kremlin, professed by both Republican and Democratic administrations, the publication points out.
The American metropolitan newspaper quotes a former official from the American administration during Trump's first term, according to whom “Ukraine is like Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria ... some other idiot's war, not his (Trump's - ed. ed. ed.) and he wants it to stop so he can make the deal with Putin that he has always fantasized about. It is sad, but very simple. And now that Zelensky has criticized him, he will try to get rid of him“.
However, all this may be just another performance by the master of the “Art of the Deal“, writes the British newspaper “Telegraph“.
“When will we Europeans stop being scandalized by Donald Trump's behavior and start helping him end this war? Trump's statements are not intended to be historically accurate, but to shock Europeans and make them act“, the newspaper quotes the words of former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
This is a well-tested tactic, the publication comments. Trump's starting positions on important issues are often perceived by the general public as unusual or unattainable. This forces the other side to come back with solutions that may actually be achievable, the newspaper explains.
It is possible that this is exactly what Trump is trying to do with regard to Ukraine - possibly to force Europe to increase its defense spending and secure Ukraine itself, writes “Telegraph“. Of course, there is still time for Trump to change his mind, as the fighting in Ukraine continues and peace seems a distant prospect, the newspaper concludes.