Trump Blames Biden for Ukraine Invasion in Interview with Elon Musk

In a recent conversation on X with tech mogul Elon Musk, former President Donald Trump expressed strong criticism of President Joe Biden, asserting that the current administration bears responsibility for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Trump contended that the conflict would not have occurred had Biden not been in the Oval Office.

Reflecting on his own relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump claimed that his ‘strong’ rapport could have deterred the invasion. “I got along with Putin very well, and he respected me,” Trump stated. He recounted a conversation with Putin about Ukraine, emphasizing, “I told him not to take any action.” Trump added, “Ukraine was the apple of his eye.”

“Russia has a long history of military prowess, having previously defeated both Germany and Napoleon. They are a formidable fighting force, and the current situation is quite precarious,” Trump lamented. “I’m not placing all the blame solely on one individual, but I firmly believe I could have prevented this.”

Trump on Aid and EU Responsibilities

During the interview, Trump also discussed the ongoing aid to Ukraine, advocating for a more equitable distribution of financial responsibilities among allies. He questioned why European nations are not contributing equally to the support efforts: “I ask, ‘Why aren’t they equalizing their contributions? Why is the United States shouldering a disproportionately larger burden to defend Europe? That simply doesn’t seem fair.’”

Trump further criticized the European Union’s trade policies, stating, “They take significant advantage of the United States in trade. While they may not be as aggressive as China, their practices are nonetheless detrimental.”

Complimenting Zelenskyy

In a surprising turn, Trump praised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, describing him as ‘honourable’ for the manner in which he handled the controversial phone call that led to Trump’s first impeachment in 2019. “Honestly, no one feels more distressed about the situation in Ukraine than I do, because I know it would have never escalated under my administration,” he expressed. “I know Zelenskyy well. He was very honourable to me during the impeachment saga, as he maintained that our phone call was perfect.”

Trump’s remarks come in the wake of leaked text messages involving his vice-presidential pick, J.D. Vance, and far-right conspiracy theorist Charles Johnson. In these messages, Vance appeared to mock U.S. support for Ukraine, telling Johnson, “Dude, I won’t even take calls from Ukraine.” These conversations, reported by the Washington Post, were dated from October 2023 and coincided with congressional Republicans’ efforts to obstruct an aid package for Ukraine.