Relations between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump have been highly strained, and the tensions between them are no secret. Now, Zelensky appears to have taken a subtle dig at Trump with his “real leaders” remark.
Volodymyr Zelensky praises European leaders amid tensions with Donald Trump over Russian oil strikes
According to CNN, when Zelensky arrived at Friday’s summit in Brussels, the European Union’s top leaders stood alongside him. He did not mention the deterioration in relations with the United States. Instead, he appeared eager to emphasize the strength of Ukraine’s ties with the EU.
Volodymyr Zelensky said, “I’m so thankful that we have such huge support from (the) EU Council, Commission and leaders – real leaders – so that they stay with us from the very beginning of this war.”
The tensions between the 48-year-old Ukrainian president and the 80-year-old U.S. president currently revolve around Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil assets. Trump recently struck a deal with Russia allowing Russian diesel exports, a move that surprised European leaders. Zelensky previously said the agreement left him feeling betrayed.
The U.S. president has blamed the Russia-Ukraine war for rising fuel prices as he seeks to shift attention away from his war in Iran, which remains highly unpopular among voters.
Before the Ukrainian president’s remarks on Friday, Trump took another swipe at Zelensky during a Newsmax interview on Thursday. He said he found Zelensky “more difficult to deal with than Putin.”
For context, the dispute between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky goes beyond the current oil refinery strikes. The two leaders have a long history of political tensions. Their relationship is now strained over the U.S. diesel deal with Russia, restrictions on Starlink internet access, and attacks on Russian oil facilities. However, the roots of their conflict go back several years.
