Donald Trump confused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with Vladimir Putin during a joint appearance at the NATO summit in Turkey on Wednesday, stunning onlookers. Speaking alongside Mr Zelensky at the Bestepe Presidential Compound, the US President pointed towards the Ukrainian leader and asked reporters: “Do you have a question for President Putin?”. He then added that he would be meeting the Russian president later in the day. The moment, captured on video and rapidly circulating online, came as the two leaders discussed the ongoing war in Ukraine. Mr Zelensky, seated to Mr Trump’s right, maintained a composed expression as the US president continued speaking.
Previous Mix-Ups Resurface
Mr Trump’s latest mix-up echoes previous occasions when he has appeared to confuse the two leaders. It occurred during a press conference on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, where discussions focused on bolstering Ukraine’s defences and pushing for peace negotiations. In the same appearance, Mr Trump also referred to Japan as the “Islamic Republic of Japan” and mangled the name of the Iran nuclear deal, calling it the “JCPOC”.
Patriot Missile License Announcement
He nevertheless announced plans to allow Ukraine to produce US-made Patriot interceptors under licence, with Mr Trump saying: “We’re going to give a license to you to make Patriots. That’s pretty cool. This way, you can’t complain that we’re not giving ’em enough.” Mr Trump described both Mr Putin and Mr Zelensky as “difficult characters”, adding: “We’ve settled a lot of wars, and this one is the one that I thought maybe would be the easiest.”
Ongoing Conflict and Strikes
The gaffe comes as Ukraine continues to face intense Russian missile and drone attacks. On Wednesday, Russia launched fresh strikes on Odesa, injuring six people, and hit Kyiv for the third time this week. Ukrainian forces, meanwhile, reported hitting nine Russian “shadow fleet” tankers in the Sea of Azov in the past 72 hours as part of efforts to disrupt Moscow’s logistics. NATO leaders are meeting in Ankara amid heightened tensions, with discussions on long-range Ukrainian strikes deep into Russia and the need to force Mr Putin back to the negotiating table.
Social Media Reaction
Mr Trump’s comments drew immediate attention on social media, with critics highlighting the error as evidence of confusion at the highest level. Supporters dismissed it as typical off-the-cuff rhetoric. The incident overshadowed more substantive elements of the meeting, including Mr Trump’s apparent support for enhanced Ukrainian air defences. Mr Zelensky has repeatedly urged the US to supply more Patriot systems, which are critical for intercepting Russian ballistic missiles. The White House has been approached for comment.
