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February 20, 2025 | 12:18 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The relationship between the United States and Ukraine is getting more heated. US President Donald Trump slammed Ukrainian President Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky as a dictator on Wednesday, February 19, 2025. As reported by Reuters, Trump warned Zelensky to act swiftly to secure peace with Russia or risk losing his country.
The condemnation has escalated the feud between Donald Trump and Zelensky, worrying European officials.
A day before the condemnation, Donald Trump claimed that Ukraine should be blamed for the 2022 Russian invasion. Concerns among US allies in Europe are rising that Trump's approach to ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict could favor Moscow.
Less than a month into his presidency, Donald Trump has altered US policies regarding the war. "A dictator without elections, Zelensky should move fast, or he will not have a country anymore," wrote Trump on social media.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha responded to Trump's statement. He said no one could force his country to surrender. "We will defend our right to live," Sybiha said at X.
Zelensky's term should have ended in 2024 after five years in office. However, presidential and parliamentary elections could not be held under martial law. Since February 2022, Ukraine has implemented martial law in response to the Russian invasion.
Trump's anger surfaced after Zelensky's comments on Tuesday. Zelensky stated that Donald Trump was echoing Russian disinformation when he insisted that Ukraine should not have started the war with Russia three years ago.
US Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday warned Zelensky not to attack Trump. "The notion that Zelensky will change the president's mind by bad-mouthing him in public media, everyone who knows the president will tell you that is a terrible way to handle this administration," Vance said at his West Wing office.
Russia has controlled about 20 percent of Ukrainian territory. Slowly, the extent of Ukrainian territory controlled by Russia continues to expand in the eastern region.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said it is untrue for Trump to call Zelensky a dictator, according to the German newspaper, Spiegel.
Several members of the Republican Party in the US also disagree with the label of dictator for Zelensky. However, they did not directly criticize Trump. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who is a supporter of Ukraine, said Trump needs space to work on a peaceful agreement.
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