Last Updated:
Zelenskyy, in a bid to amend relations with Donald Trump after White House fallout, said that Ukraine needs to have “normal” ties with the US.
US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Reuters Image)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday said that his country needs to have working ties with US President Donald Trump. His remarks came days after a fallout at the White House last month, that worsened the relations between the two leaders.
“Close relations with the United States are very important for Ukraine. I represent Ukraine as its president. America is represented by Donald Trump, as the duly elected president. We need normal, functional relations,” Zelenskyy said.
The relations between the two leaders dipped to an all-time low after both engaged in a heated argument at the White House on February 28 in front of the camera. Zelenskyy was later asked to leave without signing the minerals deal, for which he had visited the US. Trump had accused Zelenskyy of not being ready for peace.
On Friday, Zelenskyy also accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of sabotaging diplomacy over his response to the US-Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire, in a bid to end war.
“He is now doing everything he can to sabotage diplomacy by setting extremely difficult and unacceptable conditions right from the start even before a ceasefire,” Zelenskyy said on X.
Putin had expressed concerns over the terms of the deal and doubted if Ukraine would comply with the set conditions.
Zelenskyy further said that the United States could exert sufficient pressure on Russia to force it to end the war in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin “will not end the war on his own. But the strength of America is enough to make it happen. Strong steps are needed. Strong pressure must be applied to the only one who wants to continue this war,” Zelenskyy said.
By
