Tony Abbott has publicly criticized Donald Trump, condemning his misinformation-laden statements about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Trump's apparent inclination towards Russia in negotiations to end the three-year-long war. Abbott's criticism is particularly noteworthy given his prior outspoken support for Trump.
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02-24, 2025Abbott stated that Trump's blaming of Zelenskyy for Russia's invasion of Ukraine is "living in a fantasy world." He told UK's Times Radio, "Let's be absolutely clear, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin started this war." He emphasized that Russia is the instigator of the war, and anyone who doesn't think so is deluding themselves.
Abbott stressed that while peace is everyone's desire, it must not come at the cost of surrendering to a brutal aggressor. He believes that the foundation of peace must be that Ukraine can continue to exist in an independent and secure environment. He also mentioned that if Ukraine cannot join NATO, then Western troops would need to be stationed there as part of any peace agreement.
Abbott further pointed out that otherwise, any so-called ceasefire would essentially be a sell-out. He stated that it is not peace, but surrender, a surrender to an evil dictator. He criticized the idea that one can appease dictators or that might makes right, arguing that this is completely contrary to the values that the United States and the entire West have upheld for the past 70 years.
Abbott's criticism stems from a series of extraordinary statements by Trump, who falsely claimed that Zelenskyy is an unelected dictator with little popular support and is the culprit behind the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war – claims that are essentially Kremlin talking points. Furthermore, Ukraine's conspicuous absence from US-Russia peace talks in Saudi Arabia has raised concerns that Moscow's demands may be accommodated in any ceasefire agreement. Trump also stated that Zelenskyy needs to "make a deal quickly or he's going to lose his country."
Zelenskyy responded that Trump lives in a Kremlin-manufactured "information bubble" and emphasized that Ukraine must be involved in negotiations to end the war. When asked about Trump's comments at a press conference, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reaffirmed Australia's support for Kyiv but did not criticize the US President, whose administration his government is currently working to secure trade exemptions previously implemented by the Trump administration.
Australian Opposition Leader Peter Dutton stated that Trump "got it wrong" on Zelenskyy. He told 2GB radio, "To think that President Zelenskyy or the Ukrainian people started this war, or that they're responsible for this war, is completely wrong." He added, "Australia should stand firm with the Ukrainian people. This is a democracy, this is a fight for civilization. Vladimir Putin is a brutal dictator and we shouldn't be making concessions to him."
