Mary Trump, President-elect Donald Trump's estranged niece, has accused her uncle of being "enamored of and beholden to" Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In a Wednesday blog post, Trump expressed concerns about how her uncle's admiration for Putin could influence U.S. policy toward Ukraine, as the country continues to fight Russia's invasion.
She warned that, as president, he might withdraw U.S. support for Ukraine, describing him as "Putin's puppet" and suggesting his actions could leave Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vulnerable.
Trump pointed to the sacrifices made by Ukraine in the war, citing Zelensky's recent speech before the European Parliament, where he reaffirmed the importance of international unity in defending European freedom.
She criticized her uncle's admiration of both Putin and tech billionaire Elon Musk, claiming Musk has been in "regular contact" with Putin since 2022 and was present during Donald Trump's first post-election call to Zelensky.
"Of all the unthinkable scenarios we've been forced to consider since Donald won the election on November 5th is the possibility that all of this will have been for nought," she wrote. "After all, the fate of Ukraine and Zelesnky may rest with Donald Trump, Putin's puppet, a man who is enamored of and beholden to the very autocrat who wants to destroy our ally."
Her post concluded urging her supporters to echo the famous line Ukrainian border guards on Snake Island said to a Russian warship in 2022, by telling her uncle to "go f*** yourself."
Newsweek has contacted Trump's transition team via email for comment.
Meanwhile, Zelensky warned this week that Ukraine could lose the war if the United States cuts military aid.
In an interview with Fox News' Trey Yingst, Zelensky said, "If they will cut, we will—I think we will lose," emphasizing that while Ukraine has its own production capabilities, they are insufficient for survival or victory.
The comments come as the Biden administration announced a new $275 million military aid package for Ukraine, amid efforts to bolster the nation's defenses before Donald Trump assumes office in January.
Zelensky acknowledged the potential influence Donald Trump could have on ending the war, stating, "Yes, he can," but said it would not be simple.
He added that while Putin's actions significantly shape the war, U.S. support is even more critical, saying, "Putin is weaker than the United States of America."
The interview aired as Ukraine marked 1,000 days since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022, a milestone Zelensky described as a "very difficult period."
Zelensky stressed the importance of maintaining unity between Ukraine, Europe, and the United States, warning that a loss of this unity could have dangerous consequences.
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