Donald Trump’s betrayal of rules-based order in Volodymyr Zelensky ‘dictator’ tirade

Anthony Albanese has made the preservation of Ukraine’s sovereignty a key test for the international rule of law after Donald Trump launched a stunning attack on Volodymyr Zelensky.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday. Picture: AP

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Anthony Albanese has made the preservation of Ukrainian sovereignty a litmus test for the inter­national rule of law after Donald Trump shocked European allies by launching an extraordinary ­attack on Volodymyr Zelensky as a “dictator without elections” who had done a “terrible job”.

Fresh warnings are also emerging, including from former prime minister Tony Abbott, that any move to sell out Ukraine could have sweeping geopolitical consequences and encourage greater Chinese adventurism – an outcome that could threaten the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.

The US President, who is aiming to meet face-to-face with Russian President Vladimir Putin, posted on his Truth Social platform that he was “successfully negotiating an end to the war with Russia” after Europe and Ukraine were left out of initial talks in Riyadh this week.

“A Dictator without Elections, Zelensky better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left,” Mr Trump said on Wednesday local time (Thursday AEDT).

“Think of it, a modestly ­successful comedian, Volodymyr Zelensky, talked the United States of America into spending $350 Billion Dollars, to go into a War that couldn’t be won, that never had to start, but a War that he, without the U.S. and “TRUMP,” will never be able to settle. I love Ukraine, but ­Zelensky has done a terrible job, his Country is shattered, and MILLIONS have unnecessarily died.”

Speaking at a Saudi-backed tech conference in Miami, the US President took aim at the Biden administration for giving Ukraine money “hand over fist”, but stressed that Mr Zelensky was “not dealing with the same United States” now.

Mr Albanese did not directly respond to Mr Trump’s remarks but said Australia “stands with Ukraine in their struggle – which is a struggle not just for their own national sovereignty”.

“It is a struggle to stand up for the international rule of law,” the Prime Minister said in Whyalla.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday. Picture: AFP

He later told 3AW radio: “We regard the struggle of the Ukrainian people as being courageous. They are not only standing up for their national sovereignty. They are also standing up for the international rule of law and Russia’s invasion was illegal.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles said he did not believe Mr Zelensky was a dictator and he held Russia responsible for starting the conflict. He made clear Australia’s position that a negotiated settlement could not amount to “peace on any terms”.

“I don’t think America is talking about peace on any terms,” Mr Marles said. “We have, from the outset, made clear … that the war in Ukraine must be resolved on Ukraine’s terms, because the aggressor here is Russia. And what we see at stake is the integrity of the rules‑based order, the global rules‑based order.”

Peter Dutton said Mr Trump had “got it wrong” in his characterisation of the Russian-Ukraine war. “Vladimir Putin is a murderous dictator and we shouldn’t be giving him an inch,” the Opposition Leader told 2GB radio. “If we make Europe less safe or we provide some sort of support to Putin deliberately or inadvertently, that is a terrible, terrible outcome.”

Europe was taken by surprise last week when Mr Trump jump-started negotiations to end the war by holding a 90-minute phone call with Mr Putin. US ­Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also conceded NATO membership for Ukraine and ­a return to the nation’s pre-2014 borders were unrealistic goals before talks began. ­ The alarm in Europe turned to panic this week when Mr Trump suggested that Kyiv started the war and questioned why Ukrainian elections had not been held on schedule – triggering accusations from Mr Zelensky that the US President was ­repeating Russian propaganda points and disinformation.

Mr Abbott – a strong supporter of Mr Trump’s domestic agenda – took aim at the US President’s attack on Ukraine and warned that anyone who shared his views was living in a “fantasy land.”

“Let’s be very clear: Putin started this war. Russia started this war – and anyone who thinks otherwise is living in fantasy land,” Mr Abbott told Times Radio in London.

“Obviously, we want peace. But it can’t just be a surrender to vicious, naked aggression. It can’t be. If Ukraine is going to have to surrender some 20 per cent of its territory to the aggressor, there have got to be meaningful ­guarantees of Ukraine’s ongoing security. Otherwise, effectively, this isn’t a ceasefire; it’s a sell out. This isn’t peace; it’s a surrender. And it’s a surrender to a vicious dictator.”

European leaders immediately defended Mr Zelensky, with French President Emmanuel Macron saying Russia posed an “existential threat” to Europe.

“Do not think that the unthinkable cannot happen, including the worst,” Mr Macron said ahead of a video meeting with 19 European leaders.

British Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch insisted Mr Zelensky was not a dictator, posting on X: “President Zelensky is the democratically elected leader of Ukraine who bravely stood up to Putin’s illegal invasion. Under my leadership, and under successive Conservative prime ministers, we have and always will stand with Ukraine”.

Charles Kupchan, a professor of international affairs at Georgetown University and senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said the suggestion from Mr Trump that there should be elections in Ukraine “simply doesn’t make any sense”.

“You don’t want to undermine Zelensky and weaken him just as you are launching negotiations,” Professor Kupchan said.

“You don’t want to give Putin a win … A country that is getting the crap kicked out of it can’t hold an election.”

The Ukrainian community in Australia said Mr Trump’s ­comments were “shocking and appalling”.

“President Trump appears to be captured by Russian propaganda, which is a very dangerous situation for Ukraine,” Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations co-chair Kateryna Argyrou said.

“His comments are so utterly divorced from reality and are a huge concern. Ukraine is entitled to its sovereignty and independence, and needs its rightful seat at the negotiating table.”