The European Union on Thursday hit back against US President Donald Trump’s accusation that Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky was a “dictator”.

Trump lashed out at Zelensky in a spiralling row after Washington launched peace efforts with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the Kremlin’s three-year war.

“We have a fairly straightforward and clear position on this: President Zelensky was legitimately elected in free, fair and democratic elections,” EU spokesman Stefan de Keersmaecker told journalists.

“Ukraine is a democracy, Putin’s Russia is not.”

Trump’s broadsides against the Ukrainian leader have fuelled fears in Europe that Washington is abandoning its ally in Kyiv to secure a quick deal with Moscow.

The EU insists that both Ukraine and Europe must have a say during any negotiations.

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“There can be no solution for Ukraine without the involvement of Ukraine, nor without the involvement of the European Union,” de Keersmaecker said.

“Ukraine’s security is the European Union’s security.”

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