WASHINGTON: Ukraine ought to maintain elections, Donald Trump mentioned in an interview revealed Tuesday (Dec 9), calling into query whether or not the nation is really democratic, as he reiterated his sharp criticism of the Ukrainian chief.
Talking to Politico, the US president accused Kyiv of “utilizing struggle” to keep away from elections which have been postponed below the imposition of martial legislation because the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
“I feel it is an vital time to carry an election. They’re utilizing struggle to not maintain an election, however I’d assume the Ukrainian folks would … ought to have that selection,” Trump mentioned.
“You recognize, they speak about a democracy, however it will get to some extent the place it’s not a democracy anymore.”
With out martial legislation, a Ukrainian presidential election would have been due in March 2024.
Trump reiterated the criticisms he made on Sunday about Volodymyr Zelenskyy, claiming that the Ukrainian president had not learn the US plan to finish the struggle.
Days of negotiations between US and Ukrainian officers, together with Zelenskyy, ended Saturday with out an obvious breakthrough, although Zelenskyy dedicated to conducting additional talks towards “actual peace.”
“Perhaps he’s learn it over the evening. It might be good if he would learn it. You recognize, lots of people are dying,” Trump mentioned.
The US president asserted that Moscow has the “higher hand” within the battle by advantage of being “a lot larger.”
Pressed on whether or not he thought Ukraine had misplaced the struggle, Trump replied: “Nicely, they’ve misplaced territory lengthy earlier than I obtained right here,” and including their losses have continued up to now 10 months.
