Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned that President Donald Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska gave the Russian chief what he needed.
“It is a pity that Ukraine was not there, as a result of I believe that President Trump gave, gave Putin what he needed,” Zelenskyy mentioned. “He had — he needed, you understand, he needed very a lot to fulfill with President Trump, with the president of the United States. And I believe that, and I believe that Putin acquired it. And, it is a pity.”
The Ukrainian president added, “Putin would not need to meet with me, however he desires very a lot to fulfill with the president of the USA, to indicate everyone video and pictures that he’s there.”
Zelenskyy spoke to ABC Information Chief World Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz Friday in an interview that aired on ABC Information’ “This Week” on Sunday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks with Martha Raddatz of ABC Information.
ABC Information
Zelenskyy’s feedback got here days earlier than Russia launched greater than 800 drones and different munitions throughout Ukraine in a single day Saturday, together with the capital metropolis of Kyiv, the place the federal government’s cupboard constructing was struck. The assaults left no less than eight civilians lifeless and injured 59 others throughout the nation. Ukraine’s Air Power described the assault as a file assault.
Because the struggle in Ukraine drags on, Trump has continued to push — thus far, unsuccessfully — for a gathering between Putin and Zelenskyy as he seeks to convey the yearslong battle to an in depth. This week, a Trump-imposed two-week deadline for peace talks between Putin and Zelenskyy got here and went.
Talking with Raddatz from a bombed-out American-owned manufacturing facility in Ukraine, Zelenskyy mentioned that he believed that to finish the struggle, extra strain from American and European allies towards Russia is required.
“You discuss extra sanctions and extra tariffs and extra assist from President Trump. And you’ve got instructed him you suppose he has the facility to do that. And but the deadlines go repeatedly and one other one has handed,” Raddatz mentioned.
“All of us perceive that we’d like extra strain on Putin. We’d like strain from the USA. And I mentioned that I believe that President Trump is true in regards to the Europeans — I’m very grateful to all of the companions. However a few of them, I imply, they proceed to purchase oil and Russian fuel. And this isn’t truthful…So we’ve got to cease shopping for any sort of power from Russia,” he mentioned.
“This is just one, a method [of] the best way to cease the killer. It’s essential to take off his, I imply, to take off his weapon. Power is his weapon,” Zelenskyy added.
On a potential assembly with Putin, Zelenskyy mentioned the Russian president proposed phrases for a gathering that he couldn’t settle for, and that Putin was “enjoying video games with the USA.”
“He mentioned he’ll meet for those who come to Moscow,” Raddatz mentioned to Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy scoffed.
“He can come to Kyiv,” he mentioned.
“I can not go to Moscow beneath — when my nation is beneath missiles, beneath assaults every day,” Zelenskyy mentioned. “I can not go to this capital of this terrorist. It is comprehensible. And he understands it.”
“It is the identical proposition, as I mentioned, that he has to come back to Kyiv. So it is comprehensible that he’s doing it … to once more, to postpone the assembly we set,” he added.
However Zelenskyy famous that the potential of a bilateral assembly between the 2 warring leaders shouldn’t be out of the query — simply not on Russian territory.
“I mentioned, look, Mr. President, I am prepared for any sort of assembly — however not in Russia — any sort of assembly, bilateral, trilateral. We’ll be pleased if you may be in,” he mentioned.
As for the lengthy wanted safety ensures that Ukraine has requested from American and European allies within the occasion of an finish to the struggle, Zelenskyy mentioned that “any safety ensures in Ukraine will be primarily based solely on our military.”
“I believe that, that President [Trump] desires to complete this struggle. But when we talk about simply and lasting peace, it is vital to complete and to not have chance … to have aggression once more in six months, in a single 12 months, in two years. It is not solely vital solely to cease the struggle. Sure, it is essential, however to have a long-lasting peace, to have safety,” he mentioned.
Requested by Raddatz what victory appears to be like like for his embattled nation, Zelenskyy mentioned the survival of Ukraine.
“Putin’s aim is to occupy Ukraine,” Zelenskyy mentioned.
“[Putin] desires, after all, to occupy us completely. For him, this [is] victory. And till he can do it, the victory is on our aspect,” he mentioned. “In order that’s why for us to outlive is a victory. As a result of we’re surviving with our identification, with our nation, with our independence.”
