In Johannesburg, EU diplomat Kaja Kallas expressed disbelief at Donald Trump’s comment labeling Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky a “dictator,” assuming he had confused him with Vladimir Putin. Kallas defended Zelensky, noting he is an elected leader, and highlighted that wartime laws can suspend elections. She emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine while pressuring Russia, arguing that a stronger Ukraine on the battlefield would enhance its negotiation position. Kallas criticized Russia’s reluctance to hold free elections and stated that any discussions of peace should prioritize security guarantees for Ukraine, as past ceasefires have allowed Russia to regroup.
Johannesburg:
The EU’s chief diplomat remarked on Thursday that she initially believed US President Donald Trump had confused Volodymyr Zelensky with Vladimir Putin when he labeled the Ukrainian leader a “dictator”.
“When I first heard this, I thought, oh, he must be mixing them up, since it’s clear that Putin is the actual dictator,” Kaja Kallas informed reporters in Johannesburg.
In a message on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, Trump stated that Zelensky was a “dictator without elections”.
Zelensky’s five-year term ended last year, but Ukrainian law does not mandate elections during wartime.
“Zelensky is a democratically elected leader through fair and free elections,” Kallas mentioned in a briefing following her participation in a meeting of G20 foreign ministers.
She noted that the constitutions of many countries allow for the suspension of elections during wartime to concentrate on the conflict at hand.
Russia, which invaded Ukraine in 2022, could opt to conduct fair elections, but “they fear the expansion of democracy, as leaders are held accountable in a democratic system,” the EU foreign policy chief stated.
“It’s essentially from the dictator’s playbook.”
Trump has unsettled Ukraine and its European allies by initiating direct negotiations with Moscow regarding the cessation of the war, yet sidelining Kyiv and European nations.
Kallas asserted that the emphasis should remain on supporting Ukraine and applying political and economic pressure on Russia.
She also indicated that it was premature to discuss deploying troops to safeguard Ukraine after any ceasefire agreement with Russia.
Instead, Ukraine requires explicit security assurances to prevent further Russian aggression, she stated, emphasizing that history has demonstrated that ceasefires were often just opportunities for Russia to “regroup and rearm.”
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