Source type Analysis

Fact-Check: Trump’s Ukraine Comments Echo Kremlin Talking Points – The Moscow Times

U.S. President Donald Trump has made several statements on Ukraine and Russia's full-scale invasion of the country in recent days that closely resemble Kremlin rhetoric.

The assertions have amplified fears that Trump, who is pushing to end the three-year war, may try to pressure Kyiv to make major concessions without seeking many in return from Moscow.

The Moscow Times examines Trump's statements and how they compare to Kremlin talking points - plus the truth behind the claims:

Trump blames Ukraine for war
Trump questions President Volodymyr Zelensky’s legitimacy
Zelensky’s '4%’ approval rating

Read MoreFact-Check: Trump’s Ukraine Comments Echo Kremlin Talking Points – The Moscow Times

Is Zelenskyy a Dictator? Fact-Checking Trump’s Russia-Ukraine War Claims

President Donald Trump on Tuesday lashed out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a social post full of questionable claims amid the nearly three-year-old Russia-Ukraine war - even inaccurately calling his counterpart a dictator.

Who Started the War in Ukraine?
Is Zelenskyy a Dictator?
Does Zelenskyy Have a Low Approval Rating?
Has the U.S. Given Ukraine More Aid Than Europe?

Read MoreIs Zelenskyy a Dictator? Fact-Checking Trump’s Russia-Ukraine War Claims

Fact Check: Trump Says Russia Has Lost 1.5 Million Troops In Ukraine War

There are no estimates that 1.5 million Russian soldiers have been killed and wounded since Russia invaded Ukraine. Recent analyses suggest manpower losses of around 780,000 as of early January 2025. Ukrainian government estimates from February 2025 claim 850,000 Russian troop losses. While the Ukrainian government is thought to have overcounted Russian losses and undercounted its own, some of its recent assessments have been similar to those by government and expert analyses outside of Kyiv.

An independent analyst told Newsweek that Trump's estimate of Russian losses had "no basis in reality."

Read MoreFact Check: Trump Says Russia Has Lost 1.5 Million Troops In Ukraine War

Where Is the Missing $100 Billion in U.S. Aid for Ukraine?

On February 2, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said he had only received $75 billion of the $175 billion the United States had spent on Ukraine. The cry went up, what happened to the other $100 billion? Was it lost or stolen? The answer is no. Only part of the aid goes through Ukrainian control. A large part pays for activities as a result of the war but not to Ukraine directly. These include the United States training of Ukrainian forces, global humanitarian assistance, additional costs of U.S. surge forces in Europe, and intelligence support for both NATO and Ukraine.

As CSIS has reported before, "aid to Ukraine" is a misnomer because 90 percent of military aid is spent in the United States. Of aid overall, 60 percent is spent in the United States, about 25 percent is spent in Ukraine, and the final 15 percent is spent globally.

Read MoreWhere Is the Missing $100 Billion in U.S. Aid for Ukraine?

Where Is the Missing $100 Billion in U.S. Aid for Ukraine?

On February 2, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said he had only received $75 billion of the $175 billion the United States had spent on Ukraine. The cry went up, what happened to the other $100 billion? Was it lost or stolen? The answer is no. Only part of the aid goes through Ukrainian control. A large part pays for activities as a result of the war but not to Ukraine directly. These include the United States training of Ukrainian forces, global humanitarian assistance, additional costs of U.S. surge forces in Europe, and intelligence support for both NATO and Ukraine.

As CSIS has reported before, "aid to Ukraine" is a misnomer because 90 percent of military aid is spent in the United States. Of aid overall, 60 percent is spent in the United States, about 25 percent is spent in Ukraine, and the final 15 percent is spent globally.

Read MoreWhere Is the Missing $100 Billion in U.S. Aid for Ukraine?

PolitiFact | Zelenskyy’s statement about Ukraine aid didn’t reveal money laundering operation

Much of the money the U.S. has dedicated for Ukraine aid is spent in the U.S. on domestic weapons manufacturers and U.S. military and government operations.

Direct military support to Ukraine totaled about $70 billion out of the $175 billion Congress has appropriated.

The money isn't being laundered, it's being spent as Congress intended.

Read MorePolitiFact | Zelenskyy’s statement about Ukraine aid didn’t reveal money laundering operation

Fake: Ukraine Admits that Foreign Mercenaries Left the Country for the War in Israel

This video has never been shown on Ukrainian television. To create a fake video, its authors used the real story of the American news program CBS Mornings and replaced its audio track.

Read MoreFake: Ukraine Admits that Foreign Mercenaries Left the Country for the War in Israel

Manipulation: Russia May Outpace Europe and USA in GDP Growth Says The New York…

The New York Times article does indeed contain a prediction that Russia may outpace European countries and the United States in terms of economic growth this year. However, this forecast does not belong to the NYT economic columnist Patricia Cohen, as the Russian media claim, but to the Central Bank of the Russian Federation. Also, Russian media cover only a part of the article - the part about the resilience of the Russian economy to Western sanctions. Instead, the main idea of the publication, which is to prove that the Russian economy is currently working to wage war in Ukraine, remains unaddressed by propagandists. Russian publications also ignore the problems in the consumer sector that Russians are currently facing.

Read MoreManipulation: Russia May Outpace Europe and USA in GDP Growth Says The New York…