"I think Ukraine has already lost," Trump may have confused Ukraine with Iran.
Yet Trump's rambling was quickly amplified and interpreted in various ways.
On April 29, Donald Trump may have mixed up Ukraine and Iran.
During a meeting with journalists, the politician answered a question about which conflict would end first.
Trump believed both conflicts might end simultaneously: "From a military standpoint, I think Ukraine has already lost. You wouldn't know that from watching fake news, but from a military perspective, their fleet—159 vessels—every single one has sunk."
Evidently, Trump confused Ukraine with Iran.
However, international reactions quickly diverged.
Media outlets such as Russia's TASS swiftly amplified this statement, using it as a tool to claim "the U.S. has acknowledged Ukraine's defeat."
Western media like The Guardian pointed out that Trump conflated two conflicts with no direct connection, potentially influencing the international community's judgment on aid to Ukraine.
Domestic critics in the U.S. had previously accused Trump of delivering disorganized and illogical remarks on Iran, and this comment further confirms his lack of a clear strategic framework.
Zelenskyy quickly rushed to clarify that the U.S. president must have been mistaken—that it was a slip of the tongue by Trump.
Nevertheless, regardless of how one interprets it, Trump's underlying message is clear: Ukraine has already lost.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1863846445609289/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author