Taipei: United States President Donald Trump's recent criticisms of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are "not true and unfair" and have only united Ukraine even more, a visiting Ukrainian defense expert said in a Taipei forum Thursday.
According to Focus Taiwan, Olena Tregub, secretary general of the Kyiv-based Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (NAKO), responded to Trump's recent remarks, where he labeled President Zelenskyy as a "dictator" and claimed his popularity was waning. Tregub dismissed these accusations as baseless and part of a "Russian disinformation campaign."
"Ukrainians know that they want to live in a free country no matter what Donald Trump says and Ukrainians know that Zelenskyy is not a dictator," Tregub stated during a plenary session of the two-day HFX Taipei forum. She highlighted that recent polls indicate Zelenskyy maintains a popularity rate exceeding 50 percent.
Tregub emphasized that Ukrainians, whether they support or oppose Zelenskyy, have become more united in their support for him following Trump's escalating criticisms. "Some Ukrainians are saying if there is indeed an election, even those who didn't vote for Zelenskyy will vote for him to show Trump that he shouldn't disrespect our legitimate democratically elected leader," she noted.
She expressed Ukraine's gratitude for U.S. support since the Russian invasion began three years ago, noting that initially, 90 percent of Ukraine's security assistance came from the United States. While American support has declined to 60 percent, with European allies contributing the remaining 40 percent, Tregub questioned whether Europe could fully replace American assistance. Nonetheless, she affirmed, "Ukraine will continue to defend the country with its biggest ally's support or not. This is our country. Ukrainian society remains united."
Meanwhile, former Canadian defense minister Peter MacKay, speaking at the same session, acknowledged concerns about the Trump administration's stance on Ukraine, suggesting that Taiwan should also consider strengthening ties with other democracies, including Canada, to safeguard democracy.
The two-day event, according to organizers, included speeches by former government officials and scholars, such as former Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and Akie Abe, wife of the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, addressing issues related to democracy, security, resilience, and partnership.