Ukrainian President Zelenskyy is skeptical about US President Donald Trump’s alleged peace plan reported by the Washington Post, which would involve Ukraine ceding parts of its eastern territories and Crimea to Russia, according to the German tabloid Bild.
Zelenskyy about Trump’s alleged peace plan
The Washington Post reported that Donald Trump has expressed intentions, if elected, to push Ukraine into surrendering Crimea and the Donbas region to Russia as a means to end the war. However, Zelenskyy stands firm that Ukraine will not cede any territory within its 1991 borders. Later, Jason Miller, an advisor for Donald Trump’s pre-election campaign, labeled a Washington Post report as “fake news”.
Zelenskyy called the idea of ceding parts of Ukrainian territories to Russia “very primitive,” Bild reports.
“I think if Trump actually has his own approach to end the war quickly, then I would very much like to hear the idea. But we need strong arguments. We don’t need a fantastic idea, but a real one. This is about human lives; we can’t make jokes and take risks,” Zelenskyy told in an interview to Bild.
The Ukrainian president also made it clear that he does not want to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin and is unwilling to cede territories, stating that the Moscow ruler cannot be trusted.
“We are dealing with Putin here. Everything he has said so far – he has acted differently afterward. We cannot trust him,” according to Bild.
Bild also reports that Zelenskyy became emotional when asked if his 11-year-old son Kyrylo fears defeat against Russia. The president said his son asked when Ukraine would win and wanted to see a victory brought about by his father. However, Zelenskyy stressed that while Ukraine will definitely win, he cannot promise a date and must be honest with his son and his population, according to Bild.
Zelenskyy invites Trump to Ukraine
The Ukrainian president has invited former US President Donald Trump to visit Ukraine. Zelenskyy stated that he did not personally call Trump but that the invitation was made publicly and privately, as Zelenskyy said in an interview with Bild.
This invitation comes after Donald Trump, who is running for president again in 2024, has expressed doubts about the necessity of providing military and financial support to Ukraine in its war with Russia.
“We expressed the desire for Donald Trump to come to Ukraine so that he can see the situation with his own eyes and draw certain conclusions. In any case, I am ready to meet with him,” Bild quotes Zelenskyy.
Donald Trump declined an invitation from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to visit Ukraine, citing a desire to avoid a “conflict of interest” since the Biden administration is currently engaged with Ukraine. This response was after Zelenskyy’s invitation aimed to address Trump’s claim that he could end the war between Russia and Ukraine within 24 hours if re-elected.
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