'Trump needs to come out on top' — Zelensky on US president's role in ending war
The end of the war must be a victory for U.S. President Donald Trump, not for Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview for Bloomberg TV on Jan. 22.
Zelensky's statement comes amid Trump's calls for an end to the Russia-Ukraine war and recent threats to impose sanctions on Moscow if a "deal" is not reached soon.
"I think the issue of ending the war in Ukraine must be a victory for Trump, not for Putin. Putin is nobody for him. America is much stronger, Europe is much stronger, China is stronger than Russia. They are all players," Zelensky told Bloomberg TV.
Zelensky added that the war showed Russia's inability to fully occupy Ukraine.
"They (Russia) are big, they have a lot of weapons, and they don't spare people," he said. "We are specifically defending Europe, NATO countries. And Putin will go there."
"That's why Trump needs to come out on top. And he is capable of doing so."
According to Zelensky, Trump must conclude such an agreement that will prevent Putin from resuming the aggression further down the line. The Ukrainian president also noted that "everyone should have a plan" before they start communicating directly with Putin.
Trump has signaled his intent to meet Putin "very quickly" after taking office. While the Kremlin welcomed the remarks, it noted that no preparations for the meeting are currently underway.
Trump's team is reportedly working on arranging a call with Putin shortly after the inauguration, with the goal of initiating a settlement plan for the war in Ukraine within the first months of his presidency.
The U.S. president’s team Trump aims to preserve Ukraine's independence, though U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that both Kyiv and Moscow would have to make concessions to achieve a peace deal.
Chris York
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