President Trump and President Zelensky have had a complicated relationship over the years. Recently, Trump referred to the Ukrainian leader as a "dictator," but shortly after expressed his personal admiration for Zelensky. Reports TCN. This was reported by Kontrakty.UA.
Regarding the tensions between the leaders of the USA and Ukraine, writes British journalist Mark Bennetts in an article for The Times.
The publication recalls that Trump's hostility towards Zelensky and Ukraine can be traced back to his first term in the White House. In 2019, Trump was impeached due to allegations that he allegedly withheld $400 million in military aid to Ukraine until Kyiv announced an investigation into Joe Biden and his son Hunter. Trump claimed that Biden pressured the Ukrainian authorities to protect Burisma, a company linked to his son. However, no evidence of illegal actions by Biden was ever found.
Trump even sent his lawyer Rudolph Giuliani to Ukraine to persuade Zelensky to initiate an investigation. Lev Parnas, a former businessman and Giuliani's associate, stated that "Trump hates Ukraine."
"He (Trump — Ed.) and his entourage believe that it (Ukraine — Ed.) was the cause of all of Trump's problems," Parnas told Politico last year.
Additionally, Trump wanted the Ukrainian authorities to start an investigation and confirm the conspiracy theory that it was Ukraine, not Russia, behind the cyberattack on the Democratic National Committee in 2016. American intelligence dismissed this theory, attributing the blame to the Kremlin.
Zelensky's Dilemma
For Zelensky, the demand for an investigation into the Bidens at the beginning of his presidency was a dilemma, the article states.
Kyiv relied heavily on Washington's assistance to fund its fight against pro-Russian militants in eastern Ukraine. Any delay or end to U.S. military aid could have been catastrophic.
Interfering in American politics could have damaged relations with the Democrats, who held significant power in Congress.
Zelensky and his advisors decided not to jeopardize relations with the Democratic Party. Zelensky planned to announce the investigation on CNN, but those plans changed after a scandal erupted in the U.S. over the freezing of aid. The freeze was quickly lifted, the funds were disbursed, and Zelensky canceled the interview.
Trump insisted that he never tried to pressure Ukraine and that there was no quid pro quo. However, many American officials claimed they were told of a clear connection: aid to Ukraine would only be released in exchange for an investigation into the Bidens.
Gordon Sondland, then U.S. ambassador to the EU, clearly stated that the pressure on Ukraine came from Trump himself. He also confirmed that Zelensky's invitation to the White House depended on whether he would announce the investigation.
Two weeks later, during a joint press conference with Trump at the UN General Assembly, Zelensky was directly asked if he was pressured. His answer likely did not satisfy Trump: "We had, I think, a good phone conversation… Everything was fine. We discussed many things. I think you saw for yourself that nobody pressured me."
Trump immediately added his interpretation: "In other words, no pressure."
During impeachment hearings, U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker stated that Trump referred to Ukraine as a corrupt country filled with terrible people.
Although Trump was ultimately acquitted by the Senate in 2020, the very fact of the impeachment — he became the third president in U.S. history to undergo this procedure — left him deeply aggrieved. This occurred just nine months before his unsuccessful re-election attempt and likely damaged his prospects among undecided voters.
Trump's disdain for Zelensky and Ukraine sharply contrasts with his admiration for Putin, a former KGB agent who has eliminated all political opposition in Russia.
Despite the West uniting to support Kyiv following Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, Trump continued to publicly mock Zelensky.
At campaign rallies, he referred to him as the greatest showman on Earth, implying that he is too skillful in seeking American military aid. Just like in 2019, Trump is once again trying to use Zelensky as a pawn in his political games, writes the British analyst.
It was previously reported that Trump has once again launched accusations against Zelensky.