KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday of dwelling in a Russian-made “disinformation space,” pointed feedback that risked additional souring members of the family with Washington because the American chief pushes for an finish to the struggle.
In the meantime, Russian President Vladimir Putin mentioned he want to meet with Trump, an afternoon after senior American and Russian officers held talks that had been partly aimed toward getting ready simply the sort of summit.
Zelenskyy mentioned he “would like Trump’s team to be more truthful” in his first reaction to a chain of placing claims the U.S. president made the day past, together with suggesting that Kyiv used to be in charge for the struggle, which enters its fourth 12 months subsequent week.
Russia’s military crossed the border on Feb. 24, 2022, in an all-out invasion that Putin sought to justify via pronouncing it used to be wanted to offer protection to civilians in japanese Ukraine and save you the rustic from becoming a member of NATO. Ukraine and its allies denounced it as an unprovoked act of aggression.
The feedback from Trump and Zelenskyy had been a outstanding back-and-forth between leaders of 2 nations which have been staunch allies in recent times underneath Trump’s predecessor, because the U.S. equipped the most important army apparatus to Kyiv to fend off the invasion and used its political weight to protect Ukraine and isolate Russia at the international degree.
The Trump management has began charting a brand new route, attaining out to Russia and pushing for a peace deal. Senior officers from each nations held talks Tuesday to speak about making improvements to ties, negotiating an finish to the struggle and probably getting ready a gathering between Trump and Putin after years of frosty members of the family.
“I would like to have a meeting, but it needs to be prepared so that it brings results,” Putin mentioned Wednesday in televised remarks. He added that he could be “pleased” to satisfy Trump however famous that Trump has stated {that a} Ukrainian agreement may take longer than he first of all was hoping.
The Russian chief hailed Tuesday’s talks between Russian and U.S. senior officers within the Saudi capital of Riyadh as “very positive.” He mentioned officers who took section within the talks described the U.S. delegation to him as “completely different people who were open to the negotiation process without any bias, without any condemnation of what was done in the past,” and decided to paintings along with Moscow.
Putin mentioned “the goal and subject” of Tuesday’s talks “was the restoration of Russia-U.S. relations.”
“Without increasing the level of trust between Russia and the United States, it is impossible to resolve many issues, including the Ukrainian crisis. The goal of this meeting was precisely to increase trust between Russia and the United States,” Putin mentioned.
He dismissed Zelenskyy’s lawsuits about Ukraine being overlooked of the U.S.-Russian talks, pronouncing that Kyiv’s response used to be “unfounded.”
“President Trump told me during our phone call that the United States are proceeding from the assumption that the negotiations process will involve Russia and Ukraine,” Putin mentioned. “No one is going to exclude Ukraine out of it.”
Putin additionally added that he used to be shocked to peer Trump appearing “restraint” in regards to the Eu leaders who subsidized his rival within the U.S. election.
“All European leaders effectively intervened directly in the U.S. elections,” he mentioned, including that some “directly insulted” Trump. “Frankly speaking, I’m surprised to see the newly elected U.S. president’s restraint regarding his allies, who have behaved in a boorish way to put it straight.”
Putin reiterated the Kremlin’s legit line that Russia by no means rejected the potential for talks with Kyiv or its Eu allies. “The Europeans have stopped contacts with Russia. The Ukrainian side has forbidden itself to negotiate,” he mentioned in a connection with Zelenskyy’s 2022 decree that defied any talks with Moscow.
Zelenskyy’s remarks Wednesday got here in a while sooner than he used to be anticipated to satisfy with Keith Kellogg, the U.S. particular envoy for Ukraine and Russia as a part of the management’s fresh diplomatic blitz.
Ukraine and its Eu supporters have expressed fear that they weren’t invited to the talks between most sensible American and Russian diplomats in Saudi Arabia, amid greater worries that the deal taking form may well be unfavourable to Kyiv.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky provides a press convention in Kyiv, on Feb. 19, 2025.
Tetiana Dzhafarova by way of Related Press
Zelenskyy mentioned he was hoping Kellogg would stroll via Kyiv and ask Ukrainians “if they trust their president? Do they trust Putin? Let him ask about Trump, what they think after the statements made by their president.”
Russian state TV and different state-controlled media reacted with glee to what they portrayed as Trump’s chilly shoulder to Zelenskyy.
“Trump steamrolled Zelenskyy for his complaints about the talks with Russia,” the day by day Komsomolskaya Pravda mentioned.
Trump additionally recommended Ukraine ought to carry elections, which were postponed because of the struggle and the resultant imposition of martial legislation, in keeping with the Ukrainian Charter.
Zelenskyy additionally referred to “the story” that 90% of all support gained via Ukraine comes from america.
He mentioned that, as an example, about 34% of all guns in Ukraine are regionally produced and over 30% of give a boost to comes from Europe.
American officers have signaled that Ukraine’s hopes of becoming a member of NATO to chase away Russian aggression after attaining a conceivable peace settlement received’t occur. Zelenskyy says any agreement would require U.S. safety commitments to stay Russia at bay.
“We understand the need for security guarantees,” Kellogg mentioned in feedback carried via Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne Novyny on his arrival at Kyiv’s teach station.
“It’s very clear to us the importance of the sovereignty of this nation and the independence of this nation as well. … Part of my mission is to sit and listen,” the retired three-star common mentioned.
Kellogg mentioned he would put across what he learns on his discuss with to Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to “ensure that we get this one right.”
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