Official announcements from the U.S. Department of Defense or White House press releases

President-elect Trump Calls Zelensky's Missile Strikes on Russia a 'Big Mistake,' Vows to Use U.S. Support as Leverage

Dec 12, 2024, 02:11 PM

President-elect Donald Trump, named Time magazine's Person of the Year, criticized Ukraine's use of U.S.-supplied long-range missiles to strike deep into Russia, calling President Zelensky's decision a 'stupid' and 'big mistake' that escalates the conflict. In an interview with Time magazine, Trump stated, 'I disagree very vehemently with sending missiles hundreds of miles into Russia. Why are we doing that?' He indicated he would not abandon Ukraine but would use U.S. support as leverage against Russia to negotiate an end to the war, emphasizing that escalating military actions worsen the situation.