The Relationship Between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky Over Time
US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky have engaged in a war of words after the US leader began talks with Russia to end the conflict but did not include Ukraine.
After Zelensky said Trump was in a “disinformation space,” Trump called Zelensky a “dictator” — a remark condemned by Kyiv’s allies.
The two have traded barbs in the past, but Zelensky has typically tried to walk a diplomatic line with Trump.
Here’s a look back at what the two have said to and about each other, and how their public relationship has evolved over the years.
Zelensky elected, relations remain friendly
April 21, 2019: On the day Zelensky was elected president of Ukraine, Trump, then in his first term, called Zelensky to congratulate him. Trump said it was an “unbelievable election” and added that “you’re going to do a great job.”
2019: Trump’s allies began to fuel allegations that Joe Biden, then the Democratic presidential front-runner, pressured Ukraine to fire its prosecutor general to obstruct an investigation into the energy company Burisma, where his son Hunter was a board member. The allegations were later found to be fabricated, and the prosecutor general was removed from office on corruption charges.
July 25, 2019: In a phone call that became the basis for Trump’s first impeachment trial, Trump asked Zelensky to “get to the bottom of” the allegations. Zelensky said the evidence would be reviewed later that year.
September 29, 2020: In the first presidential debate between Trump and Biden, Trump alludes to the allegations, saying, “Once I became vice president, [Hunter] made a fortune in Ukraine, China, Moscow, and various other places.
Trump Administration Begins and Tensions Begin to Rise
January 22, 2025: Trump wrote on Truth Social: “It’s time to make a deal. We can do it the easy way or the hard way.” He added that without a deal, he would be forced to impose more economic restrictions on Russia.
January 23, 2025: Trump told the World Economic Forum that Zelensky “wants to make a deal” but that Putin “may not.”
February 15, 2025: Zelensky wrote that he had begun working with Trump’s team, adding: “The world looks to America as the power that has the ability not only to stop the war but also to help ensure the reliability of the peace afterward.”
February 18, 2025: U.S.-Russian talks on ending the war began in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Zelensky told reporters that the talks were being held “behind Ukraine’s back,” adding: “Once again, decisions about Ukraine are being made without Ukraine.”
18 February 2025: After the talks, Trump said he was "disappointed" with Ukraine's response and appeared to blame Ukraine for starting the war, adding that the country "could have made a deal" earlier.
19 February 2025: Zelensky said the US president had fallen into Russia's "disinformation space". He added: "We stand strong on our own two feet. I count on the unity of Europe and the pragmatism of America."
19 February 2025: Trump accuses Zelensky of convincing the US to spend $350bn (£277bn), claiming that half of that money is now missing. Trump describes Zelensky as a "dictator" who has "done a terrible job".