Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the summit of President Donald Trump with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska gave the Russian leader what he wanted.
“It is a shame that Ukraine was not there, because I think President Trump gave, he gave Putin what he wanted,” Zelenskyy said. “I had, I wanted, you know, I wanted to meet President Trump, with the president of the United States. And I think that, and I think Putin got it. And it’s a shame.”
The Ukrainian president added: “Putin does not want to meet with me, but wants him to meet with the president of the United States, to show all the videos and images he is there.”
Zelenskyy spoke with the ABC News Global Affairs correspondent, Martha Raddatz, on Friday in an interview that was broadcast on “This Week” by ABC News on Sunday.
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaks with Martha Raddatz of ABC News.
ABC News
Zelenskyy’s comments occurred days before Russia launched more than 800 drones and other ammunition in Ukraine on Saturday night, including the capital city of kyiv, where the government cabinet building was beaten. The attacks left at least eight dead civilians and wounded another 59 throughout the country. The Ukraine Air Force described the attack as a record assault.
As the war progresses in Ukraine, Trump has continued to press, until now, without success, for a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, while seeking to put the conflict of the years into account. This week, a two -week deadline imposed by Trump for peace conversations between Putin and Zelenskyy came and came.
Speaking with Raddatz of an American property factory bombarded in Ukraine, Zelenskyy said that he believed that to finish the war, more pressure from the American and European allies against Russia is needed.
“You talk about more sanctions and more rates and more help from President Trump. And you have told him that you think he has the power to do this. And yet the deadlines happen again and again and another has passed,” said Raddatz.
“We all understand that we need additional pressure on Putin. We need pressure from the United States. And I said that I think President Trump is right about Europeans: I am very grateful to all partners. But some of them, I mean, continue to buy Russian gasoline and gas. And this is not fair … so we have to stop buying any type of energy from Russia,” he said.
“This is just one, in a way [of] How to stop the murderer. You must take away, I mean, to take away your weapon. Energy is your weapon, “Zelenskyy added.
In a possible meeting with Putin, Zelenskyy said that the Russian president proposed terms for a meeting he could not accept, and that Putin was “playing with the United States.”
“He said he will meet if you come to Moscow,” Raddatz told Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy mocked.
“You can come to Kyiv,” he said.
“I can’t go to Moscow underneath, when my country is under missiles, under attacks every day,” said Zelenskyy. “I can’t go to this capital of this terrorist. It’s understandable. And he understands.”
“It is the same proposal, as I said, that you have to come to kyiv. Therefore, it is understandable that you are doing it … to postpone the meeting we establish,” he added.
But Zelenskyy pointed out that the possibility of a bilateral meeting between the two war leaders is not out of discussion, but not in the Russian territory.
“I said, look, Mr. President, I am ready for any type of meeting, but not in Russia, any type of, bilateral, trilateral meeting. We will be happy if you are inside,” he said.
As for the long security guarantees requested that Ukraine has requested from the American and European allies in case of the end of the war, Zelenskyy said that “any guarantee of security in Ukraine can only be based on our army.”
“I think that president [Trump] He wants to end this war. But if we talk about fair and lasting peace, it is important to end and have no chance … have aggression again in six months, in a year, in two years. Not only is it important to stop war. Yes, it is very important, but having a lasting peace, having security, “he said.
When Raddatz asked him how victory is seen for his country in conflict, Zelenskyy said the survival of Ukraine.
“Putin’s goal is to occupy Ukraine,” said Zelenskyy.
“[Putin] He wants, of course, to occupy us totally. For him, this [is] victory. And until I can do it, the victory is on our side, “he said.” That is why we survive is a victory. Because we are surviving with our identity, with our country, with our independence. “
