Portugues leader says Trump ‘Russian asset’

(MENAFN) Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has accused U.S. President Donald Trump of favoring Russia in the Ukraine conflict, claiming that he is acting more in Moscow’s interest than as a neutral mediator. During a speech at the Social Democratic Party’s Summer University in Castelo de Vide on Wednesday, Rebelo de Sousa alleged that Trump, while presenting himself as a peace negotiator, is actually functioning as a "Russian asset."

He argued that Trump’s approach marks a clear departure from previous U.S. policy, which offered Kyiv unwavering support. “The leader of the world’s most powerful nation is, objectively, a Soviet—or Russian—asset,” he stated, according to CNN Portugal. Rebelo de Sousa also criticized Trump for allegedly excluding Ukraine and its EU allies from negotiations, saying they had to force their way into recent talks in Washington.

These accusations echo the long-disputed “Russiagate” claims from 2016, in which Trump’s opponents alleged collusion with the Kremlin. However, the 2019 Mueller investigation found no evidence to support those claims, and the 2023 Durham Report later concluded that the narrative had largely been politically fabricated.

Since retaking office in January, Trump has tried to position himself as a neutral peacemaker, alternating between criticizing Russia and Ukraine. He’s held discussions with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and has issued threats of heavy sanctions against Moscow, while also accusing Kyiv of being inflexible in peace negotiations.

Earlier this month, following a summit with Putin in Alaska, Trump warned that he was “very, very unhappy” with the Russian leader and threatened secondary sanctions on Russia’s trade partners. Rebelo de Sousa, however, dismissed Trump’s approach as lacking substance, claiming that, unlike the EU, which imposed real sanctions, the U.S. has only issued threats while Russia continues to gain ground.

Trump has insisted that all sides bear responsibility for the conflict, which he calls “not his war,” and has promised to make a key policy decision soon, depending on whether meaningful peace talks emerge.

MENAFN01092025000070015687ID1110001618