Some GOP lawmakers distanced themselves from Trump’s statements calling Zelensky a “dictator without elections” and blaming Ukraine for the war

“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.

– 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