Russia-Ukraine war is Biden’s, 'not mine': Trump

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
14 Apr 2025 21:00

The US leader reveals that "some very good proposals" should come out "very soon" on ending the war in Ukraine.

US President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 14, 2025 (AFP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and then-US President Joe Biden did an "absolutely horrible" job allowing the war in Ukraine to begin despite having several opportunities to prevent it, President Donald Trump indicated on Monday.

"President Zelenskyy and Crooked Joe Biden did an absolutely horrible job in allowing this travesty to begin. There were so many ways of preventing it from ever starting. But that is the past. Now we have to get it to STOP, AND FAST. SO SAD!" Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.

He added that he has nothing to do with the ongoing war in Ukraine and blamed his predecessor for it, stressing that he is making an effort to end the hostilities.

"The War between Russia and Ukraine is Biden’s war, not mine. I just got here, and for four years during my term, had no problem in preventing it from happening," Trump said.

"I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS WAR, BUT AM WORKING DILIGENTLY TO GET THE DEATH AND DESTRUCTION TO STOP," the US president added.

He also brought up his previous claims that the 2020 presidential election, which was won by Democratic Biden, was rigged.

"If the 2020 Presidential Election was not RIGGED, and it was, in so many ways, that horrible War would never have happened," Trump said.

Zelensky 'always looking to purchase missiles'

Later, the US leader criticized Zelensky for "always looking to purchase missiles.”

“You don't start a war against somebody that's 20 times your size, and then hope that people give you some missiles,” he told reporters in the Oval Office.

However, Trump revealed that "some very good proposals" should come out "very soon" on ending the war in Ukraine.

At the moment, the Trump administration is aiming to achieve a ceasefire agreement that would end the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, arrived in the Russian city of St. Petersburg on Friday and met with President Vladimir Putin and the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, Kirill Dmitriev, to discuss the conflict in Ukraine.

Problem with Iran 'almost an easy one'

Touching on the US-Iran talks regarding the latter's nuclear program, Trump claimed that he would solve the "problem with Iran," pointing out that it is "almost an easy one."

"Every single thing got a problem with Iran. But I'll solve that problem. It's almost an easy one," he said at the White House.

Trump mentioned he believed Iran is intentionally delaying a nuclear deal, saying, "I think they're tapping us along."

In 2018, Trump abandoned a nuclear deal reached in 2015 between Iran and Western powers, which sought to ensure that Tehran could not develop an atomic bomb while allowing it to pursue a civilian nuclear program.

The US president warned that a potential American response to the failure to reach an agreement with Tehran could include strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

"Iran has to get rid of the concept of a nuclear weapon. They cannot have a nuclear weapon," he stressed, adding that the Iranians need to move fast to avoid a harsh response because "they're fairly close" to developing a nuclear weapon.

The Omani capital, Muscat, hosted the first round of indirect negotiations between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Witkoff on Saturday.

The US envoy described the talks as positive and constructive, while Araghchi called the atmosphere constructive and calm.

The White House said that the second round of talks would be held on April 19. The Iranian foreign minister also revealed that the coming talks will be held soon in the Italian capital, Rome, also under the auspices of the Sultanate of Oman.