President Donald Trump is well-known for making statements that stretch the imagination, but his latest claims about the war in Ukraine caused the internet to erupt on Sunday.
Trump held a round of peace talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Sunday. The two world leaders took questions from the press after the meeting, during which Trump made a strange claim that even made Zelenskyy laugh.
A reporter asked Trump if Russia would be asked to help rebuild Ukraine after the war ends.
"Russia is going to be helping," he said. "Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed. It sounds a little strange."
Zelenskyy visibly laughed at the claim and mouthed the word "yes."
"But I was explaining to the president, President [Vladimir] Putin was very generous toward his feelings about Ukraine succeeding," Trump continued.
Political analysts and observers reacted to Trump's strange comments on social media.
"He's completely gone," journalist Mike Rothschild posted on X. "Just lost in the palace of mirrors of his mind."
"This is the same guy who said he trusted Putin's word over that of his own intelligence services," CNN chief political analyst David Axelrod posted on X.
"The dumbest man to ever sit in the White House," former Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger posted on X. "Not even as president just the dumbest human to ever take a seat anywhere in the White House."
"Trump has always wanted Russia, his financial and political benefactor, to win - at the expense of America's interests," journalist John Harwood posted on X.
"This is an absolutely unhinged thing to say about a country that was invaded, bombed, and terrorized by Russia," Dem strategist Adam Parkhomenko posted on X. "Calling Putin 'generous' while Ukraine is fighting for its survival tells you everything about where Trump’s loyalties actually lie."
Trump: Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed. Putin was very generous in his feeling toward Ukraine, succeeding, including supplying energy, electricity and other things at very low prices. pic.twitter.com/3f7C2fvxS3
— Acyn (@Acyn) December 28, 2025