President Donald Trump steps off Air Force One upon arrival at Miami International Airport, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, in Miami. (Photo image via AP)2025-02-19T16:31:40Z MIAMI (AP) President Donald Trump on Wednesday warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that he better move fast to negotiate an end to Russias invasion of Ukraine or risks not having a nation to lead.The rhetoric from Trump toward Ukraine comes amid an escalating back-and-forth between the two presidents and rising tensions between the United States and much of Europe over Trumps approach to settling the biggest conflict on the continent since World War II.Trump used an extended social media post on his Truth Social platform to lash out at Zelenskyy and call the Ukrainian a dictator without elections. Trumps broadside came not long after Zelenskyys comment that Trump was being influenced by Russian disinformation as he tries to bring the fighting to a close on terms that Kyiv says are too favorable to Moscow.Think of it, a modestly successful comedian, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, talked the United States of America into spending $350 Billion Dollars, to go into a War that couldnt be won, that never had to start, but a War that he, without the U.S. and TRUMP, will never be able to settle, Trump said of Zelenskyy, who was a popular television star in Ukraine before running for office. AP AUDIO: Trump warns Zelenskyy to quickly negotiate wars end with Russia or risk not having a nation to lead AP Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports President Trump and Ukraines Volodymyr Zelenskyy are trading barbs as relations sour over the Russia war. The U.S. has obligated about $183 billion since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, according to the U.S. special inspector general, conducting oversight of American assistance to Ukraine. Trump, who was in Miami for a meeting of business executives hosted by Saudi Arabias sovereign wealth fund, accused Zelenskyy of being A Dictator without Elections !! Due to the war, Ukraine did delay elections that were scheduled for April 2024. Trump also contended that Zelenskyy was misusing American aid intended for the war effort and had taken advantage of Democrat Joe Bidens administration.The Republican president was riled by Zelenskyys charge that Trump lives in this disinformation space fostered by Moscow. We have seen this disinformation. We understand that it is coming from Russia, Zelenskyy said. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance told the Daily Mail that Zelenskyys criticism of Trump was not helping his cause. The idea that Zelensky is going to change the presidents mind by bad mouthing him in public media, everyone who knows the president will tell you that is an atrocious way to deal with this administration, Vance said.Ukrainian officials, however, continue to raise their concerns about Trumps approach.Why should dominance be handed over to a country that is an aggressor, a violator of international law, and the author of aggression against Ukraine? said Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Zelenskyy. We still do not understand this strategy. The back-and-forth came after senior U.S. and Russian officials meeting in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday agreed to negotiate a settlement to an end to the war. Ukrainian and European officials were not included despite Zelenskyys insistence that they should be part of any such discussions.Trump said Zelenskyy should have negotiated a deal earlier. Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left, Trump said. In the meantime, we are successfully negotiating an end to the War with Russia, something all admit only TRUMP, and the Trump Administration, can do. Biden never tried, Europe has failed to bring Peace, and Zelenskyy probably wants to keep the gravy train going.The rhetoric from Trump went even further than the false charges he made Tuesday against the Ukrainians when he suggested Kyiv was responsible for starting the war. It was Russia that invaded its smaller neighbor.Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York was appalled that Trump was blaming Ukraine for Russian President Vladimir Putins invasion.Its disgusting to see an American president turn against one of our friends and openly side with a thug like Vladimir Putin, Schumer said.Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said he disagreed with Trumps suggestion that Ukraine was responsible.I think Vladimir Putin started the war, Kennedy said. I also believe, from bitter experience, that Vladimir Putin is a gangster. Hes a gangster with a black heart who has Soviet dictator Josef Stalins taste for blood. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said Trumps words were insulting to the thousands who of Ukrainians who have died in the war and he accused the president of parroting Putin. I would call on President Trump to apologize to the people of Ukraine, but it would be a waste of breath, Durbin said. Donald Trump is a pushover for Putin. The Trump administration has also shown frustration with Zelenskyy for directing his ministers last week not to sign off on a proposed agreement to give the United States access to Ukraines rare earth minerals. The Ukrainians said the document was too focused on U.S. interests. The proposal, a key part of Zelenskyys talks with Vance on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, did not offer any specific security guarantees in return, according to one current and one former senior Ukrainian official familiar with the private talks who were not authorized to discuss them publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.Ukrainian officials met on Wednesday in Kyiv with retired U.S. Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trumps special envoy to Ukraine and Russia.Its an egregious war in the sense of the length of time and casualties there and he understands the human suffering, Kellogg said of Trumps thinking. He understands the damage that we can see and we want to see an end to it. I think it would be good for the region and good for the world, as well.___Madhani and Pesoli reported from Washington. AP Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro in Washington and Associated Press writers Susie Blann and Hanna Arhirova in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report. STEPHANY MATAT Matat is an Associated Press general assignment reporter with a focus on politics and South Florida issues. twitter instagram mailto AAMER MADHANI Madhani covers the White House for The Associated Press. He is based in Washington. twitter mailto MIKE PESOLI Pesoli is an Associated Press video journalist based in Washington, D.C. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site