U.S. President Donald Trump has stirred controversy by saying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shares blame for the Ukraine war’s staggering human toll. Speaking at the White House during a meeting with El Salvador’s President, Trump said, “Millions of people dead because of three people Putin number one, Biden number two, and Zelensky.”
Trump’s comments come in the wake of global condemnation over Russia’s deadliest strike on civilians this year. On Sunday, Russian missiles hit the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy, killing at least 35 people and injuring 117. Moscow claimed it targeted a meeting of Ukrainian soldiers, alleging 60 were killed, but presented no evidence to support the claim.
Though casualty estimates vary, independent monitors suggest the war has led to hundreds of thousands of deaths and injuries since Russia’s full-scale invasion began on February 24, 2022. Trump, however, described the death toll as in the “millions,” and placed blame squarely on the leaders involved.
“When you start a war, you got to know you can win,” Trump said, adding that Zelensky had “no plan” and was “always looking to purchase missiles.” He criticized the Ukrainian leader for fighting “someone 20 times your size” and expecting international support to fill the gap.
Tensions between Trump and Zelensky have simmered since a fiery White House exchange earlier this year. In a recent CBS interview, Zelensky urged Trump to visit Ukraine before proposing any peace deals with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Please, before any kind of decisions, come to see people, civilians, warriors, hospitals, churches, children destroyed or dead,” Zelensky said.
Despite blaming Zelensky, Trump also expressed a desire to “stop the killing” and hinted that peace proposals were on the horizon, though he offered no specifics.
The remarks have sparked widespread criticism, with analysts warning they could weaken international unity in supporting Ukraine’s defense. As the war grinds on, the political rhetoric around it continues to shape perceptions and possibly, the path to peace.
