Donald Trump says Zelenskyy took money from US ‘like candy from a baby under Biden’

US President Donald Trump on Sunday intensified his criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, over their tense Oval Office assembly final month, accusing him of being “ungrateful” and claiming that Ukraine took US support “like candy from a baby” throughout Joe Biden’s presidency.
“He’s a smart guy, and he’s a tough guy.” Trump commented about Zelenskyy. “He took money out of this country, under Biden, like candy from a baby. It was so easy,” Trump acknowledged throughout his Sunday interview with Maria Bartiromo on Fox News.
“With that same attitude. I just don’t think he’s grateful. We gave him 350 billion and he is talking about the fact that they have fought and they have this bravery,” Trump added.

The Republican president additional emphasised his function in offering Javelin anti-tank weapons to Ukraine, asserting that the continued battle would have been prevented had he been in workplace when it commenced in 2022.
“All he (Zelenskyy) had to do is say (to Europe), you got to stay even with us (the US) … We’re not in danger, they (Europe) are …So they’re paying all this money to Russia, and we’re in there for $350 billion,” he defined.
Previously, Trump had ordered a pause on all army support to Ukraine, escalating tensions between Washington and Kyiv simply days after a heated Oval Office confrontation with Zelenskyy.
The transfer successfully halts the supply of billions in US weaponry, leaving Ukraine unsure about its capacity to maintain its protection towards Russia.

When Bartiromo questioned Trump about abandoning Zelenskyy earlier than finalising a minerals settlement, asking: “Are you comfortable with that, the fact you walked away and Ukraine may not survive?”
Trump responded: “Well, it may not survive anyway. But, you know, we have some weaknesses with Russia. You know, it takes two.”
She pressed additional: “So is there anything else you want to say to the critics who say you chose a side in the Ukraine-Russia story – and that’s Russia. Because, you know, you called Zelenskyy a dictator and you had the fight [in the Oval Office].”
Trump prevented addressing the question straight, sustaining that “nobody has been tougher on Russia than Donald Trump. Nobody. And they know that, they know that. Just look at the things I just told you. The pipeline – I stopped it.”