Tennis star criticises Donald Trump’s ‘decisions that really hurt Ukrainians’
Ukraine's top ranked tennis player has criticised US President Donald Trump for decisions that are “hurting” Ukraine against Russia.
Tennis
Don't miss out on the headlines from Tennis. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Ukraine’s top tennis player Elina Svitolina has criticised US President Donald Trump following his trainwreck meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump and Zelensky met at the Oval Office in the White House last Friday, but the meeting descended into an all-out row.
Watch your team in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership. Stream every round LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play, on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer.
The US President and his Vice President, J.D. Vance, berated Mr Zelensky in front of the cameras, accusing him of being insufficiently “grateful” for America’s aid in the war to repel Russia’s invasion of his country, and of “gambling with World War III”.
Trump warned he would “not put up” much longer with Zelensky’s stance on the war with Russia, as the Ukrainian leader countered he wanted to end it “as soon as possible.”
In a new sign of frayed ties following their White House blow-up last week, Trump called a comment by Zelensky saying an agreement to end the war remained distant “the worst statement that could have been made” by him.
“America will not put up with it for much longer,” Trump said on social media.
The comment came after the Ukrainian president accused Russia of not being serious about peace and warned that tough security guarantees were the only way to end the more than three-year conflict.
Trump said Zelensky should be “more appreciative” of the billions of dollars of military aid that Washington has contributed to Kyiv’s fight against Russia.
Trump, who has paused crucial US military aid to Ukraine, is keen to end the war but has refused to give Ukraine the security guarantees it has demanded to deter Russia from attacking again.
But he offered hope that a minerals deal that fell through last week due to the row could be revived, and played down reports that he could halt military aid.
Trump’s attacks on Zelensky have up-ended US support for Ukraine and Washington’s allies more broadly and stoked concern about the United States pivoting to Russia.
In an interview with The Athletic, Ukraine’s top tennis player Svitolina criticised Trump for decisions that “hurt” Ukraine’s fight against Russia.
“The United States has been helping us for a long period of time now,” Svitolina said.
“Our government is working really hard to still find the ways, the solutions for the decisions. They’re trying everything and to maybe find other ways, other allies, or something.
“We are just hoping for the best. We are living with unimaginable challenges, pressure, and just not knowing what’s coming tomorrow. Right now, I feel like we are united even more because we feel like the United States is not helping us much for the past few weeks.
“We have to unite, we have to help each other, for the country that we love. Trump just started and already made a lot of decisions that really hurt the Ukrainians. I’m just really sad for all innocent people.”
Svitolina’s comments come on the eve of the Indian Wells and the Miami Open, two of the biggest tennis tournaments of the year on American soil.
The World No. 23 made the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, losing to eventual champion Madison Keys.
At Wimbledon last year, Svitolina wore a black ribbon in a tribute to the victims of a Russian missile strike on a children’s hospital in Kyiv.
— With AFP
Originally published as Tennis star criticises Donald Trump’s ‘decisions that really hurt Ukrainians’
Come on Barty, let’s go party: Iconic duo transformed for IWD
Iconic Australian tennis duo Ash Barty and Evonne Goolagong Cawley’s legendary friendship and remarkable achievements have been immortalised as Barbie dolls for International Women’s Day.
Aussie surge nets five-year first
A rankings breakthrough by a teenage tennis star has set a five-year benchmark for Australia ahead of a big teams event.