Zelenskyy says excluding Ukraine from US-Russia talks about war ‘very dangerous’

He said US President Donald Trump could bring Russian President Vladimir Putin to the array with the menace of sanctions targeting Russia’s vigor and banking system, arsenic good arsenic continued enactment of the Ukrainian military.

“I deliberation these are the closest and astir important steps,” helium said successful the interrogation successful the Ukrainian superior that lasted for much than an hour.

Zelenskyy’s remarks followed comments Friday by Trump, who said American and Russian officials were “already talking” astir ending the war. Trump said his medication has had “very serious” discussions with Russia, but helium did not elaborate.

“They whitethorn person their ain relations, but talking astir Ukraine without america — it is unsafe for everyone,” Zelenskyy said.

He said his squad has been successful interaction with the Trump administration, but those discussions are astatine a “general level,” and helium believes in-person meetings volition instrumentality spot soon to make much elaborate agreements.

“We request to enactment much connected this,” helium said, adding that Trump understandably appeared to beryllium focused connected home issues successful the archetypal weeks aft his inauguration.

The astir three-year warfare successful Ukraine is astatine a crossroads. Trump promised to extremity the warring wrong six months of taking office, but the 2 sides are acold apart, and it is unclear however a ceasefire woody would instrumentality shape. Meanwhile, Russia continues to marque dilatory but dependable gains on the front, and Ukrainian forces are enduring terrible manpower shortages.

Most Ukrainians privation a intermission successful warring to rebuild their lives. The state faces near-daily Russian attacks connected homes, and strikes connected powerfulness systems person plunged full cities into darkness.

Millions of Ukrainians person been displaced, incapable to instrumentality to their homes aft immense tracts of the country’s eastbound person been reduced to rubble. Nearly a 5th of Ukraine is present occupied by Russia. In those areas, Moscow-appointed authorities are swiftly erasing immoderate hint of Ukrainian identity.

With Trump backmost successful the White House, Ukraine’s narration with the U.S., its largest and astir important ally, is besides astatine a tipping point.

In an archetypal telephone telephone with Trump during the statesmanlike campaign, Zelenskyy said, the 2 agreed that if Trump won, they would conscionable to sermon the steps needed to extremity the war. But a planned sojourn by Trump’s Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, was postponed “for ineligible reasons” Zelenskyy said. That was followed by a abrupt overseas assistance frost that efficaciously caused Ukrainian organizations to halt projects.

“I judge that, archetypal and foremost, we (must) clasp a gathering with him, and that is important. And that is, by the way, thing that everyone successful Europe wants,” Zelenskyy said, referring to “a communal imaginativeness of a speedy extremity to the war.” After the speech with Trump, “we should determination connected to immoderate benignant of format of speech with Russians.

And I would similar to spot the United States of America, Ukraine and the Russians astatine the negotiating table. … And, to beryllium honest, a European Union dependable should besides beryllium there. I deliberation it would beryllium fair, effective. But however volition it crook out? I don’t know.” Zelenskyy cautioned against allowing Putin to instrumentality “control” implicit the war, an evident notation to Russia’s repeated threats of escalation during President Joe Biden’s administration.

Without information guarantees from Ukraine’s allies, Zelenskyy said, immoderate woody struck with Russia would lone service arsenic a precursor to aboriginal aggression. Membership successful the NATO alliance, a longstanding privation for Kyiv that Moscow has categorically rejected, is inactive Zelenskyy’s apical choice.

NATO rank is the “cheapest” enactment for Ukraine’s allies, and it would besides fortify Trump geopolitically, Zelenskyy argued.

“I truly judge that these are the cheapest information guarantees that Ukraine tin get, the cheapest for everyone,” helium said.

“It volition beryllium a awesome that it is not for Russia to determine who should beryllium successful NATO and who should not, but for the United States of America to decide. I deliberation this is simply a large triumph for Trump,” helium said, evidently appealing to the president’s penchant for winners and concern deals.