Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has issued a stark warning to the international community, stating that unless Russia is stopped now, the conflict could escalate into a global war. His statement comes in response to recent controversial remarks made by former U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the war in Ukraine.
During a meeting in the Oval Office with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, Trump reignited debate by placing blame not only on Kyiv but also on world leaders for allowing the conflict to unfold. “The mistake was that we let the war happen,” said Trump. “You should never start a war with someone twenty times bigger than you.”
Later, Trump appeared to walk back his comments slightly, distributing responsibility among current U.S. President Joe Biden, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. “This is a war that should have never started. Biden failed to stop it, Zelensky could have prevented it, and Putin should never have initiated it. It’s everyone’s fault,” Trump said.
He also announced that his team would soon present concrete proposals for ending the war in Ukraine, though he did not elaborate on any specific details.
On the ground, the situation remains severe. One day after heavy bombardments in the Ukrainian city of Sumy, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed that Russian forces are targeting “only military objectives.” However, Ukrainian authorities reported that 34 civilians, including two children, were killed in the latest strikes.
Responding to both the attacks and Trump’s comments, President Zelensky underlined the grave consequences of international inaction. He warned that if Putin is not stopped in Ukraine, his ambitions may extend to NATO territory, risking escalation into a full-blown global war. “If we are not resolute, Moscow will move forward. His goal is to recreate a Russian empire,” Zelensky said.
He also rejected any notion of moral equivalence in the conflict, responding directly to the statements from Trump and his running mate, J.D. Vance. “There is no middle ground here. There is an aggressor and there is a victim. The Russians are the aggressor, we are the victim. That is clear to everyone,” Zelensky concluded.
