Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was worried by the prospect of Donald Trump returning to the White House, branding Trump’s claim that he could stop Ukraine’s war with Russia in 24 hours as “very dangerous.” In an interview with the U.K.’s Channel 4 News that aired Friday, Zelenskyy invited the former president and front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination to visit Kyiv, but only if Trump delivers on his promise.
“Donald Trump, I invite you to Ukraine, to Kyiv. If you can stop the war during 24 hours, I think it will be enough to come,”
Zelenskyy said.
Quick Read
- Zelenskyy’s Concerns: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed worry about Donald Trump potentially returning to the White House.
- Trump’s Claim on Ending War: Trump claimed he could stop the war between Ukraine and Russia within 24 hours, which Zelenskyy finds “very dangerous.”
- Invitation to Trump: Zelenskyy invited Trump to Kyiv to fulfill his promise of stopping the war.
- Fear of Unilateral U.S. Action: Concerns about the U.S. taking actions without considering Ukraine’s perspective, especially regarding Trump’s unspecified peace plan.
- Apprehension Over Concessions: Apprehension that Trump’s approach to ending the war might force Ukraine to make significant concessions to Russia.
- Trump’s Independent Decision-Making: Zelenskyy stressed by Trump’s tendency to make decisions alone, potentially disregarding Ukrainian interests.
- Trump’s Relationship with Putin: Trump has praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, even after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
- Trump’s Impeachment Background: Trump was impeached for allegedly pressuring Zelenskyy to pursue a politically motivated investigation against Joe Biden, while withholding military aid to Ukraine. He was later acquitted by the Senate.
The Associated Press has the story:
Zelenskyy: Trump’s rhetoric about Ukraine’s war with Russia is ‘very dangerous’
Newslooks- (AP)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was worried by the prospect of Donald Trump returning to the White House, branding Trump’s claim that he could stop Ukraine’s war with Russia in 24 hours as “very dangerous.”
In an interview with the U.K.’s Channel 4 News that aired Friday, Zelenskyy invited the former president and front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination to visit Kyiv, but only if Trump delivers on his promise.
“Donald Trump, I invite you to Ukraine, to Kyiv. If you can stop the war during 24 hours, I think it will be enough to come,”
Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian leader also shared his concern about the U.S. taking unilateral action that failed to consider Ukraine’s perspective, noting the dearth of details around Trump’s “peace plan.”
Zelenskyy described the former president’s rhetoric as “very dangerous” and appeared to be apprehensive that Trump’s idea of a negotiated solution might involve Ukraine making major concessions to Russia.
“(Trump) is going to make decisions on his own, without … I’m not even talking about Russia, but without both sides, without us,” Zelenskyy said. “If he says this publicly, that’s a little scary. I’ve seen a lot, a lot of victims, but that’s really making me a bit stressed.”
He added: “Because even if his idea (for ending the war) – that no one has heard yet – doesn’t work for us, for our people, he will do anything to implement his idea anyway. And this worries me a little.”
Trump has repeatedly insisted that he is well-positioned to negotiate an end to the war that has raged for almost two years, saying he has a good relationship with both Russian and Ukrainian leaders. Throughout his political career, he has frequently lavished praise on Russian President Vladimir Putin, including after Moscow’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
At a campaign rally in Georgia just days after Russian tanks moved into Ukraine, Trump described Putin as a “smart” political player and expressed admiration for Russia’s swift takeover of a vast, “great piece of land” at the cost of what he suggested were relatively minor sanctions.
The U.S. House of Representatives impeached Trump when he was president, alleging he pressured Zelenskyy to pursue a politically motivated probe that might hurt Joe Biden’s chance to win the 2020 presidential election while withholding $400 million in military aid that Congress approved to help Ukraine confront Russian-backed separatists in the country’s east.
The Senate acquitted Trump of the impeachment charges.
