Bogdan Frolov21:05, December 31, 2025

The US President reposted material criticizing the Kremlin dictator.

US President Donald Trump made a surprise repost on his Truth Social page, sharing material accusing Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin of lying.

The New York Post editorial states that the mood following Sunday’s meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Trump at Mar-a-Lago was cautiously optimistic. The Ukrainian leader compromised on many points of the peace plan, and the American president stated his willingness to visit Ukraine to lobby parliament for territorial concessions.

But then, as if on cue, Putin instead “chose lies, hatred, and death.” “Putin claimed that the Ukrainians launched drones to assassinate him in one of his many extravagant residences. Because of this, the Russians ‘had no choice’ but to be ‘tougher’ in negotiations,” the article states.

Journalists point out the irony of Putin, who unleashed a brutal war almost four years ago, believing that any violence in his presence deserves particular outrage. After all, Russia launched 131 drones on Christmas Day against Kyiv and other cities, killing seven civilians.

It also claims that the Kremlin is deliberately targeting residential buildings and power plants to punish ordinary Ukrainians. The occupiers are also kidnapping children. They are torturing and executing prisoners. Moreover, Moscow has repeatedly attempted to assassinate Zelenskyy himself, according to the article. And that’s precisely why the media concluded that any attack on Putin is more than justified.

“But here’s the rub: the drone strike most likely never happened. Zelenskyy has vehemently denied it. Peskov claimed the Russians couldn’t provide any evidence and urged the press to ‘take the Kremlin at its word.’ No, we won’t,” the NYP editorial board writes.

In this case, common sense points to a fictional or embellished story designed to give Russia a pretext to reject Trump’s progress. As with Alaska, Putin was offered peace, but instead he “spit in America’s eye.” 

The article states that Kyiv has fulfilled its part in bringing peace closer. The onus now falls on Putin to take a step forward, otherwise he will face tougher sanctions and more lethal weapons in Ukraine. 

(c)UNIAN 2025