European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, responded to U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is a dictator, suggesting that Trump likely confused Zelensky with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“When I heard that, my first thought was that he must have mixed them up. It is clear that Putin is the dictator,” Kallas told reporters after a G20 ministerial meeting in Johannesburg.
Addressing Trump’s criticism that Ukraine has not held presidential elections since Russia’s invasion, Kallas explained that organizing elections during wartime is not feasible.
“There are people who have been displaced,” she noted, emphasizing the challenges Ukraine faces in ensuring fair and secure elections while under attack.
The EU’s top diplomat also called on European citizens to remain calm amid Trump’s unpredictable statements.
“For a month now, we have been waking up to new remarks. We just have to get used to it,” Kallas remarked.
As discussions about potential Western military involvement in Ukraine continue, Kallas stated that it is too soon to consider deploying troops, as no ceasefire or peace agreement has been reached.
