Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said he wants to work “directly” with US President-elect Donald Trump and is open to his ideas, highlighting his government’s willingness to keep its most important ally on side while Russia intensifies its attacks.
“Of course we will work with Trump. I want to work directly with him”, said Zelensky in an interview with Sky News released on Friday (29), adding that he did not want people around the republican to “destroy” his communication.
“I want to share ideas with him and I want to hear his ideas from him,” he added.
The United States is the largest provider of military assistance to Ukraine and the European country’s government is aware that it needs to stand by Trump to ensure future support.
According to the US State Department, the US government contributed US$64.1 billion to Ukraine.
Zelensky called the conversation he had with Trump during a visit to New York in September “warm, good, constructive.”
He noted that the discussions were an “important first step”, but that more detailed conversations would be needed “until we have a real plan where Ukraine is strong”.
Zelensky noted that his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, would travel to the US as soon as possible for meetings, including with Trump’s pick to be special envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg.
Kellogg favors a ceasefire and peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, which would include security guarantees for Ukraine to protect itself against future Russian invasions.
Zelensky told Sky News that Russian President Vladimir Putin was not ready to negotiate. “He doesn’t want to stop the war,” he claimed.
The Ukrainian leader added that he would like Trump to succeed and for the US to “play one of the most crucial roles” in ending the war.
Before winning the election, Trump repeatedly stated that the war would not have started if he had been president. He also promised to end the conflict, sometimes even claiming he would stop it before taking office.
In July, he said he could resolve the war in a day, without elaborating.
Zelensky suggests he could cede territory
During the interview with Sky News, Zelensky stated that offering Ukraine to join NATO, the Western military organization, while Russia can maintain, for now, the territories it had captured could be a solution to end the “hot phase”. of war.
“Nobody offered us to be part of NATO just for one part or another of Ukraine. If we want to stop the “hot phase” of the war, we must place the territory of Ukraine that is under our control under the NATO umbrella,” the president pointed out.
“This is what we need to do quickly, and then Ukraine can regain the other part of its territory diplomatically,” he added.
“But the invitation must be extended to Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. You cannot extend an invitation to just one part of a country,” said the Ukrainian leader.
Understand the war between Russia and Ukraine
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and entered the territory from three fronts: through the Russian border, through Crimea and through Belarus, a country that is a strong ally of the Kremlin.
Forces loyal to President Vladimir Putin made significant advances in the first few days, but the Ukrainians managed to maintain control of Kiev, even though the city was also attacked. The invasion was criticized internationally and the Kremlin was the target of Western economic sanctions.
In October 2024, after thousands of deaths, the war in Ukraine entered what analysts describe as its most dangerous moment yet.
Tensions rose when Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the use of an intermediate-range hypersonic missile during an attack on Ukrainian soil. The projectile carried conventional warheads, but is capable of carrying nuclear material.
The launch took place after Ukraine launched an offensive inside Russian territory using weapons manufactured by Western powers, such as the United States, the United Kingdom and France.
Western intelligence reports that Russia is using North Korean troops in the conflict in Ukraine. Moscow and Pyongyang neither deny nor confirm the report.
President Vladimir Putin, who replaced his defense minister in May, has said that Russian forces are advancing much more effectively — and that Russia will achieve all of its objectives in Ukraine, although he did not elaborate.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he believes Putin’s main goals are to occupy the entire Donbass region, encompassing the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and to expel Ukrainian troops from the Kursk region of Russia, which they have controlled parts of since August. .
This content was originally published on Zelensky says he wants to work directly with Trump to end the war on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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