'They are the same evil' — Ukrainian lawmaker appeals to Trump after Iran comments
A Ukrainian lawmaker has urged Donald Trump to recognise that Russia and Iran "represent the same evil," after the U.S. president once again criticized Ukraine whilst commenting on the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
Kyiv was among the first to publicly back the U.S.-Israeli war, arguing that Iran is a key Kremlin ally that has supported Russia's war against Ukraine, including by supplying Shahed drones used in attacks on Ukrainian cities.
But in a post on Truth Social on March 2, Trump sharply criticized former President Joe Biden, accusing him of giving away "Hundreds of Billions of Dollars worth" of high-end weaponry to Ukraine and failing to replenish U.S. reserves, whilst simultaneously claiming the U.S. has a "virtually unlimited supply of these weapons."
Referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as "P.T. Barnum," Trump claimed Biden "didn’t bother to replace" the advanced systems that were transferred.
"It is important that President Trump understands the connection between Iran and Russia — they represent the same evil," Oleksandr Merezhko, head of Ukraine’s parliamentary foreign affairs committee, told the Kyiv Independent.
"This is a shared struggle, not simply a fight against Russia or Iran separately."
Merezhko stressed that Kyiv continues to assume that Ukraine and the United States are allies.
"I would hope President Trump recognizes this and sees the broader picture — this is a common fight," he said, but added that Trump may "not yet fully understand" Ukraine's position.
He suggested that Trump may not yet fully grasp Ukraine's position.
"Someone should clearly explain that Kyiv’s statements are aimed at supporting allies and demonstrating solidarity," he added.
Political analyst Aaron Burnett told the Kyiv Independent that Trump’s remarks should be viewed through a political lens.
"Trump sees Zelensky and Ukraine as an obstacle to business opportunities with the Russians that will enrich himself, his inner circle, or both. Everything must be viewed through that lens," he said.
He also noted that, with U.S. support now largely limited to intelligence sharing, Trump’s remarks may matter less in practice than Europe's next steps.
"The U.S. has no hard resources in the game anymore. The better question is why Europe hasn’t unblocked Hungary’s veto or repurposed the frozen assets," he said.
