Trump’s shifting rhetoric on Zelenskyy and Putin
A timeline from the Associated Press (published on PBS NewsHour) chronicles how President Donald Trump’s public statements about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin have changed during his second term, from early conciliatory remarks toward Putin to growing exasperation and a recent public softening toward Zelenskyy culminating in a Sept. 24 comment that Ukraine could retake lost territory. The piece compiles dated quotes and episodes (including an Oval Office Feb. 28 confrontation and a temporary pause in U.S. military aid) that illustrate how White House messaging has shifted and what that implies for U.S. foreign policy.
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International
War & Conflict
📰 Sources (1)
How Trump’s rhetoric about Zelenskyy and Putin has evolved, in his own words
New information:
- Timeline includes dated quotes on Jan. 31, Feb. 19, Feb. 28, March 30, April 24 and Sept. 24, 2025.
- Records a Feb. 28 Oval Office argument that led to the cancellation of parts of Zelenskyy’s White House visit and a temporary pause in military aid.
- Notes a recent turn: on Sept. 24 Trump said he believed Ukraine could win back all territory lost to Russia.