Trump has continued to criticize Zelenskyy and have given update on mineral deal with Ukraine.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that President Donald Trump of the United States on Thursday said he doesn’t hold Volodymyr Zelenskyy responsible for Russia’s invasion of his country but continued to criticize the pro-Western Ukrainian leader.
Trump stated this at the White House alongside visiting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
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Recall that Trump has repeatedly made the claim that Ukraine started the war and this week accused Zelensky of responsibility for millions of deaths.
“I don’t hold Zelensky responsible but I’m not exactly thrilled with the fact that that war started.
“I’m not blaming him, but what I am saying is that I wouldn’t say he’s done the greatest job, OK? I am not a big fan,” Trump said.
Zelenskyy earlier this week invited Trump to visit Ukraine to see war devastation for himself.
The invitation was greeted with a heated row at the White House in late February between the Ukrainian president, Trump and US Vice President JD Vance, which played out in front of press.
Speaking to reporters, the Italian prime minister said they had been defending freedom of Ukraine together, adding that they could build a just and lasting peace.
The far-right leader has thrown Italy’s weight behind European efforts to shore up Ukraine’s defences since the full-scale Russian invasion began in early 2022.
Speaking further on Thursday, Trump said that a deal with Ukraine on extracting the war-wracked country’s strategic minerals could be reached next week.
Kyiv and Washington had been close to signing a deal until a February clash between Trump and Zelenskyy temporarily derailed work on the agreement.
“We have a minerals deal which I guess is going to be signed on Thursday, next Thursday. Soon. And I assume they’re going to live up to the deal. So we’ll see. But we have a deal on that,” Trump said.
