Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that President Donald Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska gave the Russian chief what he wished.
“It is a pity that Ukraine was not there, as a result of I feel that President Trump gave, gave Putin what he wished,” Zelenskyy stated. “He had — he wished, you understand, he wished very a lot to fulfill with President Trump, with the president of the USA. And I feel that, and I feel that Putin bought 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 all people 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 not less than eight civilians lifeless and injured 59 others throughout the nation. Ukraine’s Air Drive described the assault as a document assault.
Because the struggle in Ukraine drags on, Trump has continued to push — to this point, unsuccessfully — for a gathering between Putin and Zelenskyy as he seeks to carry 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 unit in Ukraine, Zelenskyy stated that he believed that to finish the struggle, extra stress from American and European allies in opposition to Russia is required.
“You discuss extra sanctions and extra tariffs and extra assist from President Trump. And you’ve got advised him you assume he has the facility to do that. And but the deadlines cross time and again and one other one has handed,” Raddatz stated.
“All of us perceive that we want further stress on Putin. We want stress from the USA. And I stated that I feel that President Trump is true concerning 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 now have to cease shopping for any type of vitality from Russia,” he stated.
“This is just one, a technique [of] methods to cease the killer. You’ll want to take off his, I imply, to take off his weapon. Power is his weapon,” Zelenskyy added.
On a attainable assembly with Putin, Zelenskyy stated 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 stated he’ll meet should you come to Moscow,” Raddatz stated to Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy scoffed.
“He can come to Kyiv,” he stated.
“I am unable to go to Moscow below — when my nation is below missiles, below assaults every day,” Zelenskyy stated. “I am unable to go to this capital of this terrorist. It is comprehensible. And he understands it.”
“It is the identical proposition, as I stated, that he has to return 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 stated, look, Mr. President, I am prepared for any type of assembly — however not in Russia — any type of assembly, bilateral, trilateral. We’ll be blissful if you may be in,” he stated.
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 stated that “any safety ensures in Ukraine may be primarily based solely on our military.”
“I feel that, that President [Trump] desires to complete this struggle. But when we discuss simply and lasting peace, it is essential to complete and to not have risk … to have aggression once more in six months, in a single 12 months, in two years. It is not solely essential solely to cease the struggle. Sure, it is crucial, however to have an enduring peace, to have safety,” he stated.
Requested by Raddatz what victory seems like for his embattled nation, Zelenskyy stated the survival of Ukraine.
“Putin’s aim is to occupy Ukraine,” Zelenskyy stated.
“[Putin] desires, in fact, to occupy us completely. For him, this [is] victory. And till he can do it, the victory is on our facet,” he stated. “In order that’s why for us to outlive is a victory. As a result of we’re surviving with our id, with our nation, with our independence.”
