‘Biden’s War, Not Mine’: Donald Trump Distances Himself from Russia-Ukraine Conflict, Says He’s Working to End It

New Delhi: US President Donald Trump distanced himself from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, describing it as "Biden’s war" and asserting that it would not have occurred if he had remained in power. 

In a series of statements posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump claimed the conflict was a direct result of the "rigged" 2020 US presidential election.

‘If the 2020 Presidential Election Was Not Rigged…’

"If the 2020 Presidential Election was not RIGGED… that horrible War would never have happened," Trump wrote.

He suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin and other global leaders "respected your President" during his administration.

The president expressed disappointment blaming President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for failing to prevent the war. 

“President Zelenskyy and Crooked Joe Biden did an absolutely horrible job in allowing this travesty to begin,” Trump claimed, adding, “There were so many ways of preventing it.”

Pushing for Peace

While making clear that he had no part in the conflict, Trump said he is now focused on ending it. “I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS WAR, BUT AM WORKING DILIGENTLY TO GET THE DEATH AND DESTRUCTION TO STOP,” he wrote. “Now we have to get it to STOP, AND FAST.”

Comment on Sumy Missile Strike

The remarks come in the wake of a deadly Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy that killed at least 34 people. 

Trump called the attack “a horrible thing,” telling reporters on Air Force One, “I think it was terrible. And I was told they made a mistake. But I think the whole war is a horrible thing.” When pressed on what he meant by “mistake,” Trump replied vaguely, “They made a mistake… you’re gonna ask them.”

The strike occurred just two days after US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff traveled to Russia for a meeting with President Putin, reportedly to advance Trump’s peace efforts. 

While neither Trump nor the White House directly named Moscow as responsible for the attack, Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered condolences to the “victims of today’s horrifying Russian missile attack on Sumy.” 

Zelenskyy’s Response

In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged President Trump to visit Ukraine, saying a first-hand view of the destruction could offer a better understanding of the consequences of Russia’s invasion.