Category Russia

Trump’s False and Misleading Ukraine Claims – FactCheck.org

After U.S. and Russian officials met in Saudi Arabia to discuss an end to Russia's war in Ukraine, President Donald Trump made several false and misleading statements about the conflict and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Trump falsely claimed that Ukraine had "started" the war with Russia, saying the country could have made a "deal." Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

He inflated the amount of U.S. aid for Ukraine and wrongly said the U.S. gave "$200 billion more than Europe." Aid from Europe is higher than that from the U.S.

Trump distorted comments Zelenskyy made to claim that the Ukrainian president "admits that half of the money that we sent them is missing." A Trump administration official has said the U.S. tracks the money.

Trump called Zelenskyy a "dictator" and misleadingly said that he "refuses" to have elections. Because of the war, the country is under martial law and can't have an election, according to Ukrainian law.

Read MoreTrump’s False and Misleading Ukraine Claims – FactCheck.org

Fact-check: Did Ukraine start its war with Russia, as Trump claims?

"I think I have the power to end this war, and I think it's going very well," Trump said, answering reporters' questions on February 18 at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. "But today I heard [from Ukraine], 'Oh well, we weren't invited.' Well, you've been there for three years. You should have ended it three years - you should have never started it, you could have made a deal."

This clashes with the evidence that Russia sent a large invasion force into Ukraine in February 2022.

Read MoreFact-check: Did Ukraine start its war with Russia, as Trump claims?

Trump’s claims on Russia’s war with Ukraine, fact-checked

- Claim: Zelenskyy is a 'dictator without elections'
- Claim: The U.S. has spent $350 billion on the war in Ukraine
- Claim: The U.S. has spent $200 billion more than Europe; Europe's money is guaranteed
- Claim: Zelenskyy has a 4% approval rating
- Claim: Ukraine started the war with Russia

Read MoreTrump’s claims on Russia’s war with Ukraine, fact-checked

Zelenskyy was sleeping: Trump claims Treasure Secretary Bessent was treated rudely during his last week’s visit to Kyiv | European Pravda

As reported before, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent arrived in Kyiv on 12 February to discuss economic partnership with Ukraine and met with Zelenskyy during his visit.

Read MoreZelenskyy was sleeping: Trump claims Treasure Secretary Bessent was treated rudely during his last week’s visit to Kyiv | European Pravda

PolitiFact | Fact-checking President Donald Trump’s attacks on Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Claim: Zelenskyy started the war in Ukraine with Russia.
Claim: Zelenskyy is a dictator.
Claim: Zelenskyy has a 4% approval rating.
Claim: The U.S. spent $350 billion to help Ukraine.
Claim: Zelenskyy said he doesn't know where half of the money the U.S. has given Ukraine went.
Claim: Zelenskyy was "sleeping and unavailable" to meet Treasury Secretary Scott Bessett during a Feb. 12 Kyiv visit.

Read MorePolitiFact | Fact-checking President Donald Trump’s attacks on Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Fact Check: Does Zelensky Have a 4% Approval Rating?

There is no credible poll in Ukraine that shows Zelensky with an approval rating in the single digits. Surveys consistently show him in the 50-60 percent approval range, down from the 75-90 percent marks he was getting earlier in the war.

February's KIIS poll showed 57 percent of Ukrainians trust Zelensky, which is a higher level of support than President Trump has received in recent polls from Gallup (48 percent) and YouGov (47 percent).

Read MoreFact Check: Does Zelensky Have a 4% Approval Rating?

Fact check: No, Zelenskyy doesn’t have 4% approval as Trump claims; it’s over 50%

In reality, respected polls in Ukraine show that Zelenskyy has over 50% approval among Ukrainians. The most recent, published by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) in early February, showed that 57% of respondents said they trusted Zelenskyy.

Read MoreFact check: No, Zelenskyy doesn’t have 4% approval as Trump claims; it’s over 50%

PolitiFact | Did Ukraine start its war with Russia, as President Donald Trump said? No, Russia invaded

On Feb. 24, 2022, Russian forces launched an invasion on Ukraine, a country that the night before was at peace. Putin called it a "special military operation" and he premised the attack on false claims about Ukraine. As people were sleeping, Russian troops and tanks rolled into Ukraine and missiles poured down in what U.S. military analysts called the largest military operation in Europe since World War II.

The attack followed weeks of Russian maneuvers that included staging a large-scale military exercise along Russia's border with Ukraine that the U.S. estimated to include 190,000 Russian troops.

We rate the statement Pants on Fire!

Read MorePolitiFact | Did Ukraine start its war with Russia, as President Donald Trump said? No, Russia invaded