During the Trump presidency, Ukraine was referred to as “part of Russia,” and criticism was leveled against it for corruption – WSJ

During his presidency, Donald Trump criticized Ukraine for corruption, referring to it as “part of Russia.” He was convinced that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 presidential elections, in which he emerged victorious.

The Wall Street Journal reported this, citing White House officials.

According to them, Trump repeatedly described Ukraine as “totally corrupt” and full of “terrible people.” In 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin called on Trump to recognize Russia’s territorial claims to part of Ukraine, citing Russia’s connection to Kievan Rus’. After that, Trump often complained about American support for Ukraine, referring to it in conversations with European leaders as “your Ukraine” and “part of Russia.”

Trump opposed selling missiles and “lethal aid” to Ukraine, arguing that Europeans should do more to defend their neighbors. His circle assured Kiev that the request would be considered when Trump was “in a good mood.” This happened with the transfer of Javelin missiles – the document was brought to Trump for signature after Congress approved the presidential bill on tax reform. And he signed it.

In 2017, he did not want to meet with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, but eventually agreed. Poroshenko, knowing this, agreed to buy American coal from a company in Pennsylvania.

However, Trump’s attitude towards Ukraine remained consistently negative. In June 2018, at a G7 dinner in Canada, he stated that Ukraine was “one of the most corrupt countries in the world.”