The US deal with Russia for diesel fuel, which Donald Trump announced he had concluded, and the US president’s renewed criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, are creating tension in Kiev. Is Ukraine worried about the attitude of its most influential ally in Russia’s war against the country? "The Russians will receive new money for diesel, which they will use for their war against us. For missiles to kill us with. These are the deals of our so-called partners”, a passerby in Kiev told ARD.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibikha publicly defended Zelensky. In his profile on X, he wrote that the president of Ukraine enjoys the trust of the people of the country, who have the right to choose for themselves. "Statements from outside the country only prove that he is doing his job well and deserves support".
Trump criticizes Zelensky again
However, the United States does not seem to want to support Zelensky at the moment. Trump said that Zelensky "wants to cause trouble in the world" by continuing to authorize attacks on Russian oil refineries. Donald Trump's criticism of the Ukrainian president did not stop there. "I think he should hold elections and he could have made a deal many times before", said the American head of state, adding that it was "time for Ukraine to have a new president" who wants to end the war with Russia. The Ukrainian constitution prohibits holding elections while the country is in a state of war, ARD recalls. However, Donald Trump does not seem to take this condition into account.
Diplomatic efforts have so far remained fruitless. According to Trump, however, Russia wants to make a deal, and "for some reason Zelensky doesn't want to” do it. The war was started not by Ukraine, but by Russia, which invaded the neighboring country more than four and a half years ago. Russian leader Vladimir Putin has repeatedly rejected proposals for an unconditional ceasefire. Zelensky, on the other hand, has said many times that he would like to hold direct negotiations with Putin, but categorically refuses to do so in Moscow. Several diplomatic initiatives to end the war have so far achieved nothing.
Trump's former vice president from his first term wrote in X that the US president "is giving Putin's war machine a lifeline”. "Putin doesn't want peace. Putin wants Ukraine. "I have no doubt that if Putin succeeds in overrunning Ukraine, it will only be a matter of time before the Russian army crosses the border, at which point our troops will have to confront them," Pence wrote.
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Source: www.dw.com