U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said he did not recall referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a "dictator."
Asked about the remark he made in a post on his social media site Truth Social this month, Trump said: "Did I say that? I can't believe I said that. Next question, please go ahead."
"Think of it, a modestly successful comedian, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, talked the United States of America into spending $350 Billion Dollars, to go into a War that couldn’t be won, that never had to start, but a War that he, without the U.S. and "TRUMP,” will never be able to settle,” Trump said of Zelenskyy, who was popular television star in Ukraine before running for office.
Trump added in his social media post that Zelenskyy is "A Dictator without Elections”!!
He said he was able to "get along with both" Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He added: "I have a very good relationship with President Putin. I think I have a very good relationship with President Zelenskyy."
Zelenskyy is due to visit Trump at the White House on Friday.
Asked if Putin would be at risk of invading Ukraine again in the event of a peace deal, Trump said "No. I don't think so."
"I have confidence that if we make a deal, it's going to hold," Trump told reporters.
Trump also said of Putin: "I've known him for a long time now and... I don't believe he's going to violate his word. I... when we make a deal, I think the deal is going to hold now."
