President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has invited US President Donald Trump to visit Ukraine before pursuing any ceasefire negotiations with Russia. In an interview with 60 Minutes, Zelenskyy said Trump could choose any city currently under attack to witness the devastation firsthand.
Ukraine will not prepare anything in advance for the visit, the president added. He wants Trump to see the destruction with his own eyes and hear from the victims directly.
“We want you to come and see. You think you know what’s going on here — okay, we respect your position. But please, before any decisions, before any negotiation formats, come here. See the civilians, the victims, the hospitals, the churches, the children — destroyed or dead. Come and see. And then let’s move towards a plan to end the war. You will understand who you are dealing with. You will understand what Putin has done.
We will not prepare anything. It won’t be theatre with rehearsed actors in the streets. We don’t need that. You can go wherever you want — to any city that has been attacked,” Zelenskyy said.
- Trump has claimed he could end the war in Ukraine through negotiations with Russia. However, his proposed ceasefire initiatives have thus far had no impact: Russia continues to launch attacks, particularly on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure — which it had previously pledged to protect.
- The United States has acknowledged these continued strikes, but there is no word yet on any measures in response to Russia’s violations of the agreement.