There’s been no lack of reactions over Trump’s harsh rhetoric about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in recent days. On Tuesday, Zelenskyy accused Trump of "living in this disinformation space," and Trump responded by calling Zelenskyy a "dictator without elections." 

This clash isn’t new, of course. Zelensky directed his fair share of criticism at Trump and Vice President JD Vance during the 2024 election cycle, buoyed by the belief that a Democratic victory was likely. 

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Mere weeks before Election Day, the Biden-Harris administration flew Zelenskyy to the United States at taxpayer expense, strategically landing him in the critical swing state of Pennsylvania. There, he toured a munitions plant, sending a clear message: billions in aid to Ukraine means jobs for Pennsylvanians.

Some saw it as blatant election interference, as Zelenskyy was effectively campaigning with the incumbent administration. In an interview with The New Yorker, Zelenskyy attacked Trump as clueless on Ukraine and went even further, calling JD Vance “dangerous” and “too radical.” The timing and messaging made it obvious this was a blatant election-year stunt.

Now, Secretary of State Marco Rubio weighed in on Trump’s recent comments about Zelenskyy, arguing that the U.S. president has legitimate frustrations with the Ukrainian leader — frustrations that even Joe Biden had.

“I think President Trump is very upset at President Zelenskyy, and in some cases rightfully so,” Rubio told investigative journalist Catherine Herridge. He pointed out that Biden himself had expressed irritation with the Ukranian president, reminding Americans that “there are newspaper articles out there about how he cursed at him in a phone call” over Ukraine’s persistent demands for more aid. Instead of expressing gratitude, Zelenskyy often pivots to pressing for additional support, Rubio said.

Rubio also revealed details of a private conversation he and Vance had with Zelenskyy regarding a potential joint venture over Ukraine’s mineral rights. “We explained to them, look, we want to be a joint venture with you, not because we’re trying to steal from your country but because we think that is actually a security guarantee,” he said. The idea, he explained, was that by partnering in an important economic endeavor, the U.S. would have a vested interest in Ukraine’s stability. He also noted that such a deal would help recoup some of the nearly $200 billion in taxpayer-funded aid sent to Kyiv. According to Rubio, Zelensky was receptive to the plan, saying he needed to run it through his country’s legislative process.

However, just days later, Zelensky publicly contradicted the private discussion. “I read two days later that Zelensky is out there saying, ‘I rejected the deal, I told them no way, that we’re not doing that,’” Rubio said. “Well, that’s not what happened in that meeting.”

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Rubio said that moments like this fuel Trump’s skepticism toward Ukraine, emphasizing that Trump’s concern is not about disregarding the country’s plight but about ensuring America’s interests are prioritized. “One of the points the president made in his messaging is not that we don’t care about Ukraine, but Ukraine is on another continent. It doesn’t directly impact the daily lives of Americans,” he explained. “We care about it because it has implications for our allies and ultimately for the world, but there needs to be some level of gratitude about this.”

Trump, Rubio said, is simply unwilling to tolerate being misled or manipulated.

“President Trump is not the kind of person who is going to sit there and take that,” he said. “He’s very transparent. He’s going to tell you exactly how he feels, and he sent a message that he’s not going to be gamed here.”

Despite the tensions, Rubio insisted that Trump is committed to working toward peace in Ukraine and hopes Zelenskyy will cooperate rather than engage in “counter-messaging to sort of hustle us.” 

Rubio warned that such an approach would “not be productive here.”

What’s clear is that Trump is sending an unmistakable message: he won’t tolerate being manipulated by Zelenskyy during delicate peace negotiations. Zelenskyy’s sense of entitlement to U.S. aid is no longer realistic; we have a new administration that is prioritizing fiscal responsibility, not signing blank checks. In short, the priority is ending the war, not funding it.

You can watch Rubio’s entire interview here: