Inside the Trump-Zelensky dispute: Economics, politics and Personal vendetta

US President Donald Trump recently published a scathing article on his self-created social media platform "Real Social", targeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. In the article, Trump not only warned Zelensky "better act quickly, or his country will no longer exist", but also accused and criticized him in many ways. The publication of this article undoubtedly caused an uproar in the international community, and also gave people a deeper understanding of the feud between Trump and Zelensky.

In his article, Trump first mentioned the issue of U.S. aid to Ukraine. Zelensky, he said, persuaded the United States to spend $350 billion on a "war that could not be won and did not need to be started." The numbers are staggering. Trump further emphasized that the United States spent $200 billion more than Europe in the war, while Europe's money seemed to be guaranteed and the United States seemed to get nothing. This huge economic investment is not proportional to the benefit of the situation, which makes Trump very dissatisfied.

Trump's criticism of Zelensky did not stop there. He also referred to Zelensky's previous comments about the amount of aid. Zelensky has said Ukraine has received just over $75 billion in aid from the United States, not hundreds of billions of dollars. Mr. Trump took the opportunity to hit back, saying that Mr. Zelensky had admitted that half of the money the United States had given was "missing." This is certainly a serious accusation against Zelensky, suggesting that he may have engaged in corruption or misappropriation of aid funds. Trump also further speculated that Zelensky may want to continue to "make money," such questions about Zelensky's motives, no doubt intensified the conflict between the two sides.

In addition to economic issues, Trump has raised questions about Zelensky's political standing and leadership. He called Zelensky "a dictator who does not hold elections," a statement that is clearly a serious discredit to Ukraine's political system and Zelensky's personal image. Trump further pointed to Zelensky's low approval rating in Ukrainian opinion polls as further evidence that his leadership and political standing are being questioned by the public. Trump also satirized Zelensky that "the only thing he is good at is playing (the United States) in his hands' like a violin '", this vivid metaphor is undoubtedly a mockery and criticism of Zelensky's diplomatic skills.

Trump's article not only attracted wide attention in the international community, but also made us think more deeply about this dispute. From Mr. Trump's point of view, his accusations against Mr. Zelensky seem justified, and both economic and political issues have raised many doubts about Mr. Zelensky. Yet we cannot ignore Trump's own positions and motives. As a former US President, Trump's comments are often deeply personal and politically motivated. His article may be more to deflect domestic political pressure or to make his presence felt on the international stage.

First, the question of financial assistance. Mr. Trump accused Mr. Zelensky of convincing the United States to enter a war it could not win, and paying a huge economic price. However, we also need to see that U.S. assistance to Ukraine has not been fruitless. Ukraine received military and economic support from the United States during the Russo-Ukrainian war, which undoubtedly enhanced its ability to resist. Moreover, US assistance to Ukraine is also in its geopolitical interest, contributing to regional stability and US influence in the region. Therefore, we cannot simply consider US aid to be "wasted".

Second, about Zelensky's political position and leadership. Trump has called him a "dictator" and "low poll numbers," and there may be some truth to those accusations, but they cannot be generalized. As the president of Ukraine, Zelensky is faced with a complex domestic and international situation and many challenges. He may have some shortcomings and mistakes in the process of meeting these challenges, but it cannot be denied that he has made efforts to promote Ukraine's political, economic and social development. Moreover, public opinion approval rating is a relatively complex issue that is influenced by many factors and cannot be simply used as the sole criterion to evaluate a leader.

Moreover, we need to see Trump's own role and motives in this dispute. As a former US President, Trump's remarks are often strongly personal and politically motivated. His article may be more to deflect domestic political pressure or to make his presence felt on the international stage. Therefore, when evaluating Trump's remarks, we need to remain objective and rational, and not blindly follow or be influenced by them.

To sum up, Trump's accusations and criticism of Zelensky on social media have triggered a certain amount of attention and discussion, but we also need to see the complexity and multi-faceted nature of it. In assessing this dispute, we need to remain objective and rational, and not blindly follow or be influenced by it. At the same time, we also hope that the international community can strengthen communication and cooperation to jointly promote regional stability and development. Only then can a shared vision of peace and prosperity be truly realized.