Donald Trump Jr. claims the Ukrainian president repeatedly, but unsuccessfully, sought an invitation to the US presidential inauguration.
According to Donald Trump Jr.’s Instagram post, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made multiple informal requests to attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration but was denied each time. Trump Jr. commented on a recent interview where Zelenskyy stated his inability to attend the January 20th inauguration, explaining that he couldn’t attend without a personal invitation from President Trump.
Trump Jr. mocked Zelenskyy’s comments, stating that Zelenskyy had in fact requested an invitation three times unofficially and been refused each time. He added that Zelenskyy now pretends he chose not to attend, calling him “a weirdo.”
“I can’t come especially during the war, unless President Trump invites me personally. I’m not sure it’s proper to come because I know that in general, leaders are for some reason not usually invited to the inauguration of presidents of the United States of America,” Zelenskyy told Fridman.
While it’s not customary for incoming US presidents to invite foreign leaders to their inaugurations, Trump invited several, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Argentinian President Javier Milei, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa, and Paraguayan President Santiago Pena. Xi and Orban declined, while the others accepted.
Trump has expressed skepticism towards US aid to Ukraine and pledged a swift end to the conflict. Ukrainian officials fear a proposed ceasefire brokered by the president-elect could disadvantage their country. Following a meeting in late September, Trump stated that Zelenskyy desired a cessation of hostilities and that they both sought a fair resolution. Zelenskyy’s presidential term ended in May, and he’s refused to call new elections due to martial law. Russia deems him illegitimate, recognizing only the Ukrainian parliament and its speaker as the legitimate authority.