White House rebukes Zelensky’s ‘insults’ towards Trump

US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz at a press briefing at the White House. February 20, 2025.
©Win McNamee/Getty Images

The White House has condemned Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky’s “unacceptable” insults directed at US President Donald Trump. During a press briefing on Thursday, US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz explained the frustration in Washington with Kiev’s recent rhetoric.

Tensions between the US and Ukraine escalated this week after Zelensky criticized Trump for breaking the period of diplomatic non-engagement with Russia. He insisted on a seat at the negotiating table regarding the Ukraine conflict and declined to sign a minerals deal that Trump sought to finalize to recoup US taxpayer money given to Kiev.

Trump responded by labeling Zelensky a “dictator without an election” and warned that time is running out for him to adapt to changes in US policy toward Ukraine. Waltz conveyed Trump’s disappointment, saying Zelensky’s words and actions show a lack of appreciation for American support.

”Some of the rhetoric coming out of Kiev and, frankly, insults to President Trump were unacceptable,” Waltz remarked. The rejected deal represented a “historic opportunity” for Ukraine to strengthen its economy while repaying the US for its assistance. Zelensky had the chance to engage in “constructive conversations” about the proposal but chose instead to issue public statements that were “incredibly unfortunate.”

Waltz described the situation as “ridiculous,” adding that those in Washington who previously demanded a ceasefire in Gaza are now “suddenly aghast” that Trump is advocating for the same approach in the Ukraine conflict.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent visited Kiev last week but was unable to finalize a minerals agreement, which Trump views as a breach of Zelensky’s commitments. The US president has expressed dissatisfaction with how the Ukrainians treated Bessent, who made a perilous train journey to reach the Ukrainian capital.

During his visit to Ukraine this week, Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, reportedly discussed a revised version of the agreement. However, he and Zelensky did not hold a joint press conference to announce the results of their discussions, with Ukrainian media suggesting that the American side declined.

Meanwhile, Trump’s government efficiency czar, Elon Musk, disputed claims of widespread domestic support for Zelensky, arguing that they are based on a “Zelensky-controlled poll about his OWN approval [which is] not credible.” Trump has said Zelensky’s approval rating is just 4% according to “real Ukrainian polls.”

Kremlin comments on Trump-Zelensky dispute

Kremlin ©Getty Images/Jon Hicks

Ukrainian officials including Vladimir Zelensky are making increasingly “unacceptable” statements about other countries, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday. His comments come after Zelensky accused US President Donald Trump of believing Russian “disinformation.”

Trump and Zelensky are locked in a public feud which escalated this week when the US president claimed that the Ukrainian leader was “a dictator without elections” and accused him of funneling US aid into a “war that couldn’t be won.” Trump also suggested that Zelensky wouldn’t win an election in Ukraine due to what he claimed was an approval rating of 4%.

Zelensky responded on Wednesday by alleging that Trump was “living in a disinformation space” supposedly created by Moscow. He also dismissed Trump’s assessment of his approval rating, claiming that he is actually supported by over 50% of the Ukrainian population. “If somebody wants to replace me right now, it will not happen,” he said.

Commenting on Zelensky’s remarks, Peskov said the rhetoric of the Ukrainian leader and other officials in Kiev “leaves much to be desired in general.”

Ukrainian officials have increasingly made “absolutely unacceptable statements about other states,” Peskov stated.

The Kremlin spokesman also supported Trump’s assessment of Zelensky’s popularity, stating it is an “absolutely obvious trend” that this is dwindling. The spokesman refused, however, to comment on the particular figures cited by Trump.

Commenting on Trump’s accusations that Ukraine has wasted US taxpayer money, Peskov said Kiev “likes the money of foreign taxpayers and likes the uncontrolled use of this money.” The spokesman also claimed that it is “an indisputable fact” that Zelensky’s government “doesn’t like to report” on how and where it has spent the money received from its foreign backers.

Tensions between Trump and Zelensky escalated following the US president’s recent phone call with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. The Ukrainian leader said he was disappointed that Washington had not advised or sought permission from Kiev before engaging with Moscow.

The Trump-Putin call was followed by a meeting of Russian and US delegations in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia earlier this week. The talks have also prompted a backlash from Ukraine as well as EU leaders, who have complained about being sidelined.

Dmitry Trenin: Russia’s long-term play Is much bigger than Ukraine

The reopening of US-Russia dialogue has triggered alarm, especially in Western Europe, where many see it as a potential repeat of Yalta — a grand power settlement taking place over their heads. Much of the commentary has been exaggerated. Yet, the pace of global change has clearly accelerated. The words and actions of US President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and other key Republican figures over the past ten days suggest that Washington has stopped resisting the shift to a new world order and is now trying to lead it.

This is a well-known US tactic: when the tide of history turns, America prefers to surf rather than sink. Trump’s administration is not clinging to the crumbling post-Cold War unipolar order; instead, it is reshaping US foreign policy to secure America’s primacy in a multipolar world. As Secretary of State Marco Rubio bluntly stated, multipolarity is already a reality. Washington’s goal is to be primus inter pares — first among equals — rather than a declining hegemon.

America’s New Global Approach

Trump’s vision for North America is straightforward: from Greenland to Mexico and Panama, the entire region will be firmly bound to the US, either as part of its economic engine or under its military umbrella. Latin America remains an extension of this sphere, with Washington ensuring that outside powers — China, for example — do not gain undue influence. The Monroe Doctrine, in spirit, remains very much alive.

Western Europe, however, is another matter. From Trump’s perspective, the continent is like a spoiled child — too long indulged, too dependent on American protection. The new US stance is clear: Europe must pay its way, both in military and economic terms. Trump and his team see the European Union not as a great power, but as a weak and divided entity that clings to illusions of parity with the United States.

NATO, meanwhile, is viewed as a tool that has outlived its purpose — one that Washington is willing to use, but only under its own terms. The US wants Western Europe as a geopolitical counterweight to Russia but has little patience for the EU’s pretensions of independence.

China: The Real Adversary

While Europe remains an irritant, China is Trump’s real focus. His administration is determined to ensure that Beijing never surpasses Washington as the dominant world power. Unlike the Soviet Union during the Cold War, China poses a far greater economic and technological challenge to US supremacy. However, Trump sees an opportunity in multipolarity: rather than engaging in a global Cold War, America can leverage great power balancing to keep China in check.

India plays a central role in this strategy. Trump has already hosted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, signaling Washington’s commitment to deepening economic and technological ties with New Delhi. While India’s relations with China have somewhat stabilized since last year’s Modi-Xi meeting at the BRICS summit in Kazan, their long-term rivalry remains. The US is eager to nurture this divide, using India as a counterweight to Beijing in the Indo-Pacific region.

Russia’s Position in the New Order

This wider geopolitical context frames the latest shifts in US-Russia relations. Trump appears to have concluded that his predecessors — Joe Biden and Barack Obama — made critical miscalculations that pushed Moscow into China’s orbit. By aggressively expanding NATO and isolating Russia through sanctions, Washington inadvertently strengthened a Eurasian bloc that now includes Iran and North Korea.

Trump has recognized the failure of Biden’s Ukraine strategy. The goal of delivering a “strategic defeat” to Russia — militarily, economically, and politically — has failed. Russia’s economy has withstood the unprecedented Western sanctions, its military has adapted, and Moscow remains a pivotal global player.

Now, Trump is seeking a settlement in Ukraine that locks in the current frontlines while shifting the burden of supporting Kiev onto Europe. His administration also aims to weaken Russia’s ties with Beijing, Tehran, and Pyongyang. This is the real logic behind Trump’s outreach to Moscow — it is less about making peace with Russia and more about repositioning America for the long game against China.

The Kremlin’s View: No Illusions

For the Kremlin, the fact that Washington is now willing to engage in direct dialogue is a positive development. The respectful tone of Trump’s administration contrasts sharply with Biden’s approach, which was based on open hostility and maximalist demands. However, Russia harbors no illusions. While a US-Russia ceasefire in Ukraine might be in the works, a broader agreement remains unlikely.

Trump does not have a detailed peace plan — at least, not yet. Putin, on the other hand, does have clear objectives. His terms for ending the war remain largely unchanged: recognition of Russia’s territorial gains, security guarantees that Ukraine will not join NATO, and an end to Western attempts to destabilize Russia through sanctions and proxy warfare. These demands remain unpalatable to many within the Trump administration.

Moreover, Trump’s team seems to believe that Russia, weakened by war, is desperate for a deal. This is a miscalculation. Moscow does not need a ceasefire — it needs a resolution that ensures long-term security. Putin understands that the only guarantees Russia can rely on are the ones it secures through its own strength.

No Yalta 2.0 — yet

Those hoping for a grand Yalta 2.0 settlement will likely be disappointed. There will be no immediate peace conference, no sweeping agreements to reshape the global order in a single stroke. However, a new world order is emerging.

This order will be layered, with different power centers playing distinct roles. At the global level, a quadrangle of America, China, India, and Russia will dominate. Below that, regional and continental blocs will form, with key players — Western Europe, Brazil, Iran, and others — vying for influence within their respective spheres.

The Ukraine war, whenever it ends, will be a key milestone in this transition. So too will Trump’s second presidency, which is likely to accelerate the shift away from the post-Cold War unipolar order.

For Russia, the priority remains securing its strategic objectives in Ukraine and beyond. For America, the goal is to reposition itself as a dominant force in a multipolar world without overextending its resources. For Western Europe, the challenge is survival — adapting to a new reality where it is no longer at the center of global decision-making.

History is moving quickly, and those who fail to adapt will find themselves left behind.

US-Russia talks begin in Saudi Arabia

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrives in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for talks with the US delegation. ©Russian Foreign Ministry

Russian and US delegations have begun high-level talks in Saudi Arabia aimed at restoring diplomatic relations and paving the way for a settlement of the Ukraine conflict.

The meeting in Riyadh is attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, President Vladimir Putin’s top foreign policy aide, Yury Ushakov, and Kirill Dmitriev, the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF). The US is represented by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Steve Witkoff, the special envoy for the Middle East.

Neither Ukraine nor its EU backers are taking part in the talks. In the run-up to the meeting, Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky signaled that Kiev was not invited and that it “considers any negotiations about Ukraine that are being held without Ukraine as having no results.”

Russian officials previously said the key goals of the talks include “restoring the entire complex of Russian-American relations,” as well as “preparing for possible negotiations on the Ukrainian settlement” and laying the groundwork for a summit between Putin and US President Donald Trump.

The high-stakes talks became possible after a phone call between Trump and Putin last week. Following the conversation, Trump said he does not think it is “practical” for Ukraine to join NATO, adding that Kiev has very little chance of regaining territory that has become part of Russia over the past decade.

Moscow has said the conflict can only be sustainably resolved if Ukraine commits to permanent neutrality, demilitarization, denazification, and recognizes the territorial reality on the ground.

Musk reacts to upcoming US-Russia talks

Billionaire Elon Musk, a major ally of US President Donald Trump, has welcomed the arrival of a Russian delegation in Saudi Arabia ahead of the first direct Russian-US negotiations over the Ukraine conflict.

The Tesla, SpaceX, and X owner reposted an excerpt from a Russian news segment about the arrival of the delegation led by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Riyadh. “This is what competent leadership looks like,” he wrote on X.

In a video shared by Musk, journalist Evgeny Popov asked Yury Ushakov, President Vladimir Putin’s top foreign policy aide, about the mood ahead of talks on Tuesday local time.

“We will see. The most important thing right now is to begin a real normalization of relations between us and Washington,” Ushakov told Popov on the tarmac.

This is what competent leadership looks like https://t.co/frZrdhsEzZ

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 17, 2025

Musk, who donated 20,000 Starlink internet terminals to Ukraine in 2022, has since advocated against further escalation between Russia and the US. “We are sleepwalking our way into World War III with one foolish decision after the other,” Musk said in 2023.

The meeting on Tuesday will be the first in-person US-Russian negotiations since Moscow launched its military operation in Ukraine in 2022.

While the administration of former US President Joe Biden pursued a policy of “isolating” Russia on the world stage, Trump has vowed to quickly mediate an end to the conflict and criticized his predecessor for abandoning diplomacy in favor unconditional military support for Kiev. President Vladimir Putin said last year that the campaign to isolate Russia “has failed,” given Moscow’s deepening ties with major economies outside of Europe and North America, including China, India, and Brazil.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammd bin Salman on Monday and is expected to meet with Lavrov.

Trump spoke with Putin over the phone on February 12, angering Ukraine’s EU backers, who were blindsided by the conversation.

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has said Kiev will “not recognize” any negotiations that take place without his approval. He acknowledged, however, that Ukraine has a “low chance” of winning without American support.

UK and EU ‘incapable of negotiation’ – Moscow

Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia. ©Brian Smith/RIA Novosti

The UK and EU cannot be part of the Ukraine peace talks, as they are incapable of negotiating, Moscow’s ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia has said.

The diplomat made the comments as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Yury Ushakov, President Vladimir Putin’s top foreign policy aide, arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday for bilateral talks with top US diplomats, discussions to which the EU and Ukraine are not invited.

“The Minsk guarantors, and in general EU states and the UK are incapable of negotiation and cannot be a party to any future agreements on regulating the Ukrainian crisis,” Nebenzia told the UN Security Council on Monday.

Both are blinded by “a manic desire to defeat Russia on the battlefield at the hands of the surviving Ukrainians,” the diplomat said. Neither EU countries nor the UK are suitable to serve “as either guarantors or middlemen” to a potential ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, he added.

US President Donald Trump’s special envoy for ending the hostilities, Keith Kellogg, has also noted that European states have no place in upcoming peace talks. France and Germany served as the Western guarantors of the failed Minsk accord, a deal supposedly aimed at stopping hostilities between Ukraine and the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics.

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has since admitted the ceasefire was intended to buy time for Kiev to build up strength.

While previously both the US and its allies in Europe have shown a united front in backing Ukraine in its conflict with Russia since its escalation in 2022, Washington has touted a pivot under Trump. The new US president has promised to bring a swift end to the hostilities, while simultaneously signaling that Europe should begin to shoulder more of the cost of its own security, as well as Ukraine’s.

The Russian diplomatic delegation in Riyadh is expected to prepare the ground for an upcoming meeting between Trump and Putin, following tomorrow’s initial bilateral involving senior diplomats form both sides.

Moscow is coming to the negotiations primarily to “hear out” Washington regarding the Ukraine conflict, as well as to restore communication after “an absolutely abnormal period” in Russia-US relations, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.

The top diplomat has previously stressed that Moscow will reject any attempt to temporarily freeze the Ukraine conflict, as Kiev’s Western backers would use such a measure to rearm Kiev. Any solution to the hostilities would need to have an ironclad legal basis and address the root causes of the conflict, Lavrov has said.

Russian UAV destroys ‘drone-proof’ Ukrainian military vehicle - VIDEO

New first-person-view (FPV) footage shows Russian fiber optic-guided drones hunting Ukrainian vehicles protected by electronic warfare antennae near the Kursk Region border.

Russian frontline journalist Evgeny Poddubny posted the clip on his Telegram channel on Sunday; it presumably shows the work of the Russian 40th Separate Guards Marine Brigade drone pilots, of the ‘North’ group of forces.

In the first part of the video, a suicide FPV drone can be seen chasing down a Ukrainian tank and striking the top rear section of its hull, despite several anti-drone measures.

Several electronic warfare antennas can be seen poking through the top of the anti-drone slat armor welded onto the top of the tank. The drone catches up to the speeding and zigzagging tank and hits it in the roof of the hull, where armor is typically thinner than most other areas.

In the second part of the clip, another FPV drone can be seen diving down at a parked SUV, hitting it on the roof. Several sets of electronic warfare antennae can be seen sticking up from the top of the vehicle.

Fiber optic-guided drones have seen more frequent use in recent months, after first being deployed by Russian forces last summer. Footage from these drones is characterized by their slightly slower speeds and excellent picture quality, unaffected by the pervasive jamming used by both sides of the conflict.

These types of drones are entirely immune to electronic warfare, as they maintain a direct link with the pilot via a fiber optic cable, unlike their jamming-vulnerable radio-controlled counterparts. The downside of the fiber optic-controlled UAVs is that they are bulkier, having to carry a bobbin with the cable, and therefore less agile.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, as of Sunday, Ukraine has witnessed more than 61,000 troop casualties in the Kursk Region since Kiev’s forces first began their push in August of last year. In addition, Ukraine has lost more than 365 tanks, 48 multiple launch rocket systems (including 13 HIMARS and six other US-made MLRS), six anti-aircraft units, as well as hundreds of other heavy vehicles, according to the ministry.

Vance accuses the Wall Street Journal of inventing ‘threats to Russia’

US vice president JD Vance
©Getty Images/Johannes Simon

US Vice President J.D. Vance has criticized the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) for what he says is a misrepresentation of remarks he made on Ukraine. Vanced refuted the paper’s report published on Thursday that he had said that the US would threaten Russia with either sanctions or military action.

In a summary to an article on Thursday titled “Vance Wields Threat of Sanctions, Military Action to Push Putin Into Ukraine Deal” the paper stated that the US vice president had pledged to impose sanctions and possibly launch military action if Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected a peace deal guaranteeing Ukraine’s independence.

The Kremlin sought clarification to Vance’s comments following the initial report. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday that the remarks were new to Moscow. “These are new elements of the [US] position; we have not heard such statements before,” Peskov said.

Vance pushed back on the claim on Friday, stating that US President Donald Trump would bring peace to the region by ending the conflict, and that his words had been misinterpreted by the WSJ.

“As we’ve always said, American troops should never be put into harm’s way where it doesn’t advance American interests and security,” Vance wrote on X. “The fact that the WSJ twisted my words in the way they did for this story is absurd, but not surprising,” he added.

Vance’s communications director, William Martin, criticized the article, calling it “pure fake news,” posting a transcript of Vance’s interview with the newspaper and argued that the vice president had not made any threats.

In the transcript, Vance had said that Trump would consider a wide range of options in discussions with Russia and Ukraine. He mentioned that “economic tools of leverage” and “military tools of leverage” exist but did not specify any specific actions.

“There’s a whole host of things that we could do. But fundamentally, I think the President wants to have a productive negotiation, both with Putin and with [Vladimir] Zelensky,” the transcript said.

Martin wrote that Vance “simply stated the fact that no one is going to take options away from President Trump as these negotiations begin.”

The Wall Street Journal’s report has since received a community note on X, which states: “JD Vance made no explicit pledge to either sanctions or military actions.” The note links to Martin’s post containing the transcript.

One day after the article was posted Vance and Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky met on the sidelines of the Munich security conference on Friday. Following the talks Vance emphasised that Washington’s goal is sustainable peace in Ukraine, while insisting on the start of direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.

“It’s important for us to get together and start to have the conversations that are going to be necessary to bring this thing to a close,” he said.

Fatal NATO promise, trusting Putin & killing BRICS: Key takeaways from Trump briefing

©AP/Ben

US President Donald Trump spoke to reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday evening, a day after his long-awaited phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The conversation, as Trump described it, spanned topics including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, NATO’s role, economic strategies like tariffs, and the geopolitical dynamics surrounding BRICS and the G8.

Here are the key takeaways from the briefing:

1. Biden’s promise provoked Ukraine conflict

Trump placed the blame for the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict on his predecessor, Joe Biden, reiterating his claim that the war would never have erupted if he had remained in office. According to Trump, Biden’s statements about Kiev potentially joining NATO were a critical provocation that had directly contributed to the conflict.

“I don’t see any way that a country in Russia’s position could allow them, just in their position, could allow them to join NATO. I don’t see that happening,” the US president said on Thursday.

“And long before President [Vladimir] Putin, Russia was very strong on the fact. I believe that’s the reason the war started, because Biden went out and said that they could join NATO, and he shouldn’t have said that,” Trump asserted.

Trump elaborated on his belief that the promise of NATO membership created a security dilemma for Russia, which ultimately triggered the war. He described Biden’s statement as “reckless” and “ill-conceived,” underscoring that such commitments should never have been made without broader international consensus.

2. Still no NATO for Ukraine

Trump also stood by the remarks made by his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, regarding Ukraine’s hope for NATO membership, describing them as “pretty accurate” despite some public criticism. He rejected the suggestion that he should ask Hegseth to walk back his comments.

“Somebody told me to, but I thought his comments were good yesterday. They’re probably good today. They’re a little bit softer, perhaps. But I thought his comments from yesterday were pretty accurate,” Trump stated.

Hegseth had earlier argued that Ukraine’s aspiration to reclaim all lost territories was unrealistic and that the country should prepare for a negotiated peace. He suggested that international troops might oversee the process but emphasized that NATO membership would not be part of any peace agreement.

3. Russia and US to hold ‘high-level’ meeting

During the press conference, Trump revealed that officials from Russia and the United States were preparing for a high-level meeting in Munich.

“They’re having a meeting in Munich, tomorrow. Russia is going to be there with our people. Ukraine is also invited, by the way. Not sure exactly who’s going to be there from any country, but high-level people from Russia, from Ukraine, and from the United States.”

The president also reiterated his openness to a face-to-face meeting with Putin, possibly in Saudi Arabia. However, he cautioned that it was “a little early” to finalize such plans.

4. Trump ‘trusts’ Putin

Trump made it clear that he believes Putin’s desire for peace is genuine:“I believe that President Putin, when I spoke to him yesterday… I think he wants peace. I think he would tell me if he didn’t.”

Dismissing the journalists’ skepticism, Trump reiterated that he trusts Putin on this issue specifically and criticized the Biden administration for not taking earlier action to prevent the escalation of tensions into a full-blown conflict.

“I trust him on this subject. I think he’d like to see something happen,” Trump added, emphasizing that “this should have been done by Biden years ago” and that the conflict “should never have been allowed to happen” in the first place.

5. BRICS is ‘dead’

Trump’s press conference also touched on his administration’s new tariff plan, which he said would ensure fairness by imposing reciprocal levies on countries that impose high import duties on American goods. He singled out India as one of the most protectionist economies in the world, ahead of his scheduled meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He took the opportunity to criticize the BRICS bloc for trading outside the US dollar system.

“BRICS was put there for a bad purpose,” Trump warned, noting that the bloc’s ambitions threatened the dollar’s dominance.

“They’re afraid to talk about it because I told them – if they want to play games with the dollar, then they’re going to be hit with a 100% tariff… BRICS is dead since I mentioned that. BRICS died the minute I mentioned that,” Trump stated.

6. Inviting Moscow back to G8

Trump said he would “love” to see Russia reinstated into the G7, restoring the group to its former G8 configuration. He claimed that Putin would probably “love to be back” too, even though Moscow itself showed little interest in returning after the group suspended its membership in 2014.

“I think it was a mistake to throw them out. Look, it’s not a question of liking Russia or not liking Russia – it was the G8. And you know, I said, what are you doing? All you talk about is Russia, and they should be sitting at the table.”

Trump suggested that excluding Russia was a strategic misstep that might have contributed to the Ukraine conflict. “It’s very possible that if that was the G8, you wouldn’t have had the problem with Ukraine,” he added.

7. Nuclear de-escalation

Trump also expressed his vision of reducing global nuclear stockpiles through direct negotiations with Russia and China. He revealed plans to initiate talks on military spending and arms control when the geopolitical situation stabilizes.

“At some point, when things settle down, I’m going to meet with China and I’m going to meet with Russia, in particular those two, and I’m going to say there’s no reason for us to be spending almost a trillion dollars on military.”

He pointed out the absurdity of nations continually expanding their arsenals despite already having enough weapons to destroy the world multiple times over.

“There’s no reason for us to be building brand new nuclear weapons. We already have so many you could destroy the world 50 times over, 100 times over,” Trump said, expressing optimism that both Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping would be open to such discussions.