During a speech in Savannah, Georgia, former President Donald Trump commended Russia's historical military achievements and criticized U.S. aid to Ukraine. Trump expressed his belief that Moscow would not lose the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, citing the former Soviet Union's victory over Adolf Hitler in World War II and Napoleon Bonaparte's failed invasion of Russia as examples. He emphasized the need for the U.S. to disengage from the war but did not outline a specific strategy for ending American involvement.
Mocking President Joe Biden's commitment to supporting Ukrainian forces until victory, Trump questioned the implications of a Ukrainian win and highlighted their history of fighting wars. He also mentioned that he would not be meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the latter's visit to the U.S. for the U.N. General Assembly, despite previous statements suggesting a meeting was planned.
Trump inaccurately claimed that Zelenskyy consistently secures $100 billion in aid from the U.S. during his visits, whereas the actual figure provided by the State Department stands at over $56 billion since Russia's invasion in 2022. The former president and Zelenskyy have a complex relationship dating back to Trump's time in office, marked by controversies such as Trump's pressure on Zelenskyy to investigate the Bidens and the subsequent impeachment proceedings.
While Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with President Biden and Vice President Harris in Washington, he recently criticized Trump's understanding of the conflict in Ukraine and expressed concerns about Trump's running mate JD Vance's views on the situation. In response, Trump's son, Donald Jr., took to social media to defend his father's foreign policy approach and criticize Zelenskyy for disparaging the GOP ticket.
