Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he tries to be frank in his communication with US President Donald Trump and does not resort to political manoeuvring.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this in an interview with ABC News.
“As between friends, as in a family, you need to be honest, not play games. I don’t play games with Trump. That is how I differ from Putin. I don’t play any games with him. I am direct and honest,” Zelenskyy said.
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The head of state acknowledged that he does not always behave diplomatically, but explained this by the need to defend Ukraine’s interests decisively during the war.
“Ukraine cannot have a weak president right now,” he stressed.
Zelenskyy also commented on Trump’s relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He said he does not know whether any rapprochement between them is a mistake, as it is a personal decision of the American president.
- Earlier, Donald Trump urged Ukraine to choose a new leader who, in his view, would be able to negotiate an end to the war. He claimed that Volodymyr Zelenskyy had allegedly had repeated opportunities to conclude a peace deal but did not take them. Trump also criticised Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries, saying they create problems for the global economy.
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with Bloomberg that the actions of the Trump administration may indicate attempts to push Ukraine towards capitulation. In particular, he drew attention to reduced deliveries of interceptor missiles for Patriot systems: the US is currently providing Ukraine with 12 such missiles a month — about a quarter of the volumes under Joe Biden’s presidency.