Former President Donald Trump made multiple inaccurate statements about Ukraine and its leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the ongoing Russian invasion, with one particular claim being thoroughly disproven by CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale.
The Disputed Claim About Ukrainian Gratitude
The Trump administration has issued an ultimatum to Ukraine, giving the country until Thursday to accept its proposal for ending the conflict with Russia or risk losing American military support. In support of this position, Trump asserted on social media that "UKRAINE 'LEADERSHIP' HAS EXPRESSED ZERO GRATITUDE FOR OUR EFFORTS."
Daniel Dale systematically dismantled this assertion in his extensive fact-checking column, demonstrating that President Zelenskyy has expressed gratitude toward the United States and the Trump administration on numerous occasions since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.
Overwhelming Evidence of Ukrainian Appreciation
Dale compiled a comprehensive list of 78 separate instances where Zelenskyy thanked the United States and President Trump specifically, spanning from January 2022 through this past Sunday. The evidence shows Zelenskyy expressing appreciation across multiple platforms and settings.
"Zelensky has said it on social media, sometimes tagging Trump's account," Dale wrote. "He has said it to Trump face-to-face. He has said it to Trump appointees and members of Congress. He has said it in Ukraine, in the US, and in other countries."
The Ukrainian president's gratitude continued even after Trump's criticism. Last week, according to a summary published by Zelenskyy's office, he told U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll during a meeting in Kyiv: "We are very grateful to President Trump, to the United States, to the entire American people."
Context and Historical Pattern
The fact-checker noted that Trump's criticism of Zelenskyy emerged after the Ukrainian leader resisted the administration's proposal to end the war, which reportedly includes significant concessions to Russia, including territorial compromises.
This situation echoes a contentious February meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy, where the American president told his Ukrainian counterpart, "You gotta be more thankful." On that same day, CNN had published examples of Zelenskyy expressing gratitude toward the United States.
Dale's updated list includes 44 additional examples since February, when Trump and Vice President JD Vance reportedly confronted Zelenskyy during a hostile White House meeting that was televised internationally. The fact-checker emphasized that his compilation isn't comprehensive, as it doesn't include most of Zelenskyy's remarks in Ukrainian or private conversations.
The evidence clearly demonstrates that contrary to Trump's claim, Ukrainian leadership has repeatedly and consistently expressed appreciation for American support throughout the ongoing conflict with Russia.
