WASHINGTON – Former U.S. President Donald Trump has once again stirred controversy by distancing himself from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, calling it “Biden’s war, not mine,” and asserting that he is trying to end the conflict, not escalate it.
Speaking at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania over the weekend, Trump told a crowd of supporters that the war, now in its third year, would have never started under his administration.
“This is Biden’s war, not mine. I’m trying to stop it. I just got here,” Trump said. “There was no invasion when I was President because President Putin respected your President. He respected me — he wouldn’t have dared.”
The remarks come amid heightened geopolitical tensions and a shifting political climate ahead of the 2024 U.S. presidential election, where Trump remains the leading Republican candidate and is widely expected to secure the nomination for a third consecutive cycle.
Trump reiterated his long-standing argument that his tough-on-NATO, pro-sovereignty stance prevented Russia from invading Ukraine during his term. He also pointed to his administration’s diplomatic engagements with Russian President Vladimir Putin, framing them as examples of deterrent leadership.
“All these people screaming about Putin — I got along with him, but I never bowed to him. He didn’t make a move when I was in the White House. The war started the moment Biden showed weakness,” Trump added.
White House officials were quick to dismiss Trump’s comments as “revisionist history,” pointing out that the Trump administration withheld military aid to Ukraine in 2019 during a political scandal that later led to his first impeachment.
A senior Biden official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Trump’s remarks “not only ignore the facts but undermine current diplomatic efforts to rally NATO and global support for Ukraine’s sovereignty.”
“President Biden has worked tirelessly with our allies to defend democratic values, something the former president doesn’t appear to understand or appreciate,” the official said.
With U.S. defence spending and international aid to Ukraine under increasing scrutiny from both Democrats and Republicans, Trump’s remarks could further polarise opinion. Many in his base have called for a drawdown of international involvement, echoing his “America First” foreign policy.
Analysts suggest Trump is likely to continue using the Ukraine war as a wedge issue, contrasting his claimed “peace-through-strength” doctrine with what he describes as Biden’s “chaotic” foreign policy record.
“Trump is strategically using Ukraine as a campaign theme — not just to hit Biden, but to connect with voters who are tired of endless foreign entanglements,” said Professor Carla Hines, a political science expert at Georgetown University. “The narrative that he alone can stop the war appeals to his populist base.”
Neither Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky nor Russian officials immediately commented on Trump’s statements. However, Zelensky has previously warned that U.S. political instability could jeopardise continued support for Ukraine’s defence.
In contrast, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has praised Trump’s previous comments about ending the war “in 24 hours,” although Russia has never officially confirmed whether any peace overtures have been made via Trump or his allies.
This is not the first time Trump has sought to paint himself as a global dealmaker capable of restoring order. He has frequently cited his summits with North Korea’s Kim Jong-un and his controversial decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal as examples of “strong leadership.”
With the 2024 election approaching, Trump’s emphasis on foreign policy — particularly the Russia-Ukraine conflict — signals his intention to frame Biden as a weak leader who has embroiled the U.S. in foreign wars, while positioning himself as the candidate of restraint, negotiation, and “peace through dominance.”
As the war in Ukraine grinds on with no clear end in sight, the conflict is likely to remain a major flashpoint in U.S. political debates — and a defining issue for American voters heading into the next election.
