“The controversy and engagement in statements” with his American counterpart Donald Trump at the White House “is not useful for either part.” He expressed his belief that his relationship with Trump could be restored.
In an interview with Fox News, Zellinski stressed that “Kiev and Washington should be on one side,” expressing his hope that the American president will support Ukraine against Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He stressed the importance of American support, noting that “it is difficult for Ukraine to face Russia without American assistance, but not at the expense of our values and freedom.”
When asked about the events with Trump earlier, Zellinski said: “Yes, I think it was not good.” When asked about the possibility of his apology to the American president, he replied: “We have to be open and honest, I am not sure that we did something wrong.”
Zelinski added that he heard Trump repeatedly saying that he would stop the war, but he pointed to the need to pressure him in cooperation with Europe and other partners.
He stressed his country’s readiness for peace, pointing out the importance of being in a strong position.
Earlier, Trump Zelinski criticized during his reception at the White House, calling on him to return “when he is ready for peace.”
Trump described Zelinski’s recent statements as “lacking respect”, warning that Washington will move away if Kiev has not concluded an agreement.
When asked about Trump’s position on signing a deal with Putin, Zellinski denied this, indicating that they were looking for security guarantees and asked the United States to make suggestions on how to provide these guarantees.
He also pointed out that Ukraine wants to have a strategic partnership with the United States, stressing that the war brought a lot of suffering, and therefore they do not want any surprises in the future.
He stressed that he is looking forward to supporting Europe in financing the Ukraine army as part of security guarantees
