A Trump appointee on Friday accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of being a “puppet” and said Russia has been too gentle in their attack on Ukraine.
In an interview with Fox Business’ Stuart Varney, retired Col. Douglas Macgregor who former President Donald Trump appointed as a senior advisor to the Secretary of Defense said that there was nothing “heroic” about Zelensky, who has led his country’s resistance against invading Russian forces.
“The first five days Russian forces I think frankly were too gentle,” he said. “They’ve now corrected that. So, I would say another ten days this should be completely over.”
MacGregor – who was also tapped by Trump to serve as ambassador to Germany in July 2020 before the nomination stalled in the Senate – said that the war could have “ended days ago” if Zelensky had accepted what the Russians have sought, which he said is a “neutral Ukraine.”
“I think Zelensky is a puppet and he is putting huge numbers of his own population in unnecessary risk,” Macgregor expressed.
Macgregor then laughed when Varney was asked if he thought Zelensky was a hero for standing up and fighting.
“I don’t see anything heroic about the man,” Macgregor said. “I think the most heroic thing he could do right now is come to terms with reality. Neutralize Ukraine.”
He continued: “This is not a bad thing. A neutral Ukraine would be good for us and Russia. It would create the buffer that frankly both sides want but he’s I think being told I think to hold on and trying to drag this out, which is tragic for the people that have to live through this.”
