DONALD Trump has lashed out at Volodymyr Zelensky in a blistering new social media tirade hours after teasing a “big” speech to Congress tomorrow.
The US President blasted his Ukrainian counterpart in a Truth Social post as he said “this guy doesn’t want there to be peace”.
AFPUS President Donald Trump takes part in a signing ceremony in the President’s Room following the inauguration ceremony at the US Capitol[/caption]
GettyPresident Donald Trump (R) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in the Oval Office at the White House[/caption]
APAn explosion erupts from an apartment building on Friday[/caption]
The Republican’s comments come after Western leaders gathered in London for a talks hosted by the British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelensky aiming to help forge a peace plan.
Tomorrow night President Trump will deliver his first joint address to Congress following last week’s extraordinary shouting match between the Republican and Zelensky – as efforts to end the war with Russia hangs in balance.
Taking to his social media platform Truth Social, Trump eerily warned that “TOMORROW NIGHT WILL BE BIG,” adding that he will “TELL IT LIKE IT IS”.
Fears also loom as Trump is reportedly preparing to meet with top aides to discuss suspending – or even canceling – US military aid to Ukraine, according to an official who spoke to the New York Times.
Trump accused Zelensky of “gambling with World War Three” on Friday, followed by Marco Rubio heaping blame for the “spat “fiasco” on the Ukrainian president.
The splintering relations threaten to destabilise the entire western alliance, but Europe has reacted by standing firm with Ukraine.
Meanwhile the US President didn’t hold back in his latest attack against the continent as he claimed the US should worry more about “migrant rape gangs and drug lords” than Putin – or “end up like Europe”.
The President said on Truth Social: “We should spend less time worrying about Putin, and more time worrying about migrant rape gangs, drug lords, murderers, and people from mental institutions entering our Country – So that we don’t end up like Europe!”
He then boasted on Monday in another post that he was the “only President who gave none of Ukraine’s land to Putin’s Russia”.
Europe is having to grasp the potential reality that it would have to stand up to Russia’s meatgrinder almost alone if Trump decided to pull the US out of the Nato alliance.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said on Sunday that the continent needed to start doing the “heavy lifting” in regards to the bloody Ukraine war.
His plea came as he hosted crunch talks in London with European leaders, just hours after a fiery Oval Office bust-up between the US President and Zelensky.
Defence spending within Nato has been a sore subject for Trump for years and, while the President has not yet actively called for the US to exit the alliance, he has not held back from slamming it.
Tesla tycoon and DOGE overseer Elon Musk has been vocal in his support for leaving Nato in various social media posts.
Trump previously revealed that he doubted the value of spending US money on Nato – as the US was protecting members who were “not protecting us”.
The Republican has also repetitively called for the bloc to double its spending target – and even threatened to quit during his first term.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer declared he “will never choose” between the US and Europe.
Addressing the Commons after his trip to Washington DC, the PM said Trump’s furious Oval Office bust-up with Zelensky was something “nobody in this House wants to see”.
But he added: “I do want to be crystal clear, we must strengthen our relationship with America, for our security, for our technology, for our trade and investment, they are and always will be indispensable, and we will never choose between either side of the Atlantic.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is crowing after the Oval Office bust up
APBritain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, right, is greeted by President Donald Trump as he arrives at the White House[/caption]
Britain and France have proposed a one-month truce for Ukraine
“In fact, Mr. Speaker, if anything, the past week has shown that that idea is totally unserious.
“Because while some people may enjoy the simplicity of taking a side, this week has shown with total clarity that the US is vital in securing the peace we all want to see in Ukraine.
“So I welcome the opportunity for a new economic deal with the US confirmed by the President last week, because it’s an opportunity I’m determined to pursue.”
Germany’s likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz says Friday’s exchange between Trump and Zelensky was a “manufactured escalation”.
The clash saw the Ukrainian leader asked to leave the White House.
Merz says Europe is now under pressure to act quickly: “We must now show that we are in a position to act independently in Europe.”
President Volodymyr Zelensky has said there is a “a long way” to go to reach the end of the war with Russia.
He told Sky News that Ukraine needed specific security guarantees and any agreement needed to be “honest” and “stable”.
Zelensky said: “Ukraine will never recognise territories that are occupied by Russia as Russian territory. For us, this will be temporary occupations.
“Our territories and our values are not for sale. Our freedoms are not for sale. We’re paying a high price for the fact Russia has brought this onto us.”
Zelensky’s comments came after Ukraine confirmed a massive Russian missile strike on a training base near Dnipro which reportedly killed more than 30 soldiers and left over 100 wounded.
The commander of Ukraine’s ground forces issued a furious statement saying “anger is consuming from within”.
Russia released footage of the March 1 strike on a base near Cherkaske.
Moscow claimed it had killed up to 150 Ukrainians.
The commander of Ukraine’s ground forces, Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi, implied there had been a breach of security.
He said an investigation was underway and “the anger is eating away at me from the inside.”
The Iskander M – which can use conventional or nuclear weapons – has been one of Vladimir Putin’s most effective weapons of the war.
European leaders met in London on Sunday to discuss Ukraine and defence