Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged Western allies to provide security guarantees to help bring the war with Russia to an end this year.
“We want security guarantees this year because we want to end the war this year,” Zelensky said during a press conference in Kyiv.
The Ukrainian president also criticized the United States for allowing Russian President Vladimir Putin to break out of international isolation by engaging in bilateral talks in Riyadh—the first such discussions since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
“It is their right to discuss bilateral issues in Saudi Arabia. But I think the United States helped Putin get out of years of isolation,” Zelensky said, referring to Western efforts to isolate Russia over its aggression.
Trump “Lives in a Bubble of Russian Misinformation”
Zelensky also responded to Donald Trump’s recent comments, accusing the former U.S. president of falling victim to Russian propaganda.
“President Trump, whom we greatly respect as the leader of the American people, unfortunately lives in a bubble of misinformation,” Zelensky said, emphasizing that this disinformation originates from Russia.
He further warned that Russia is run by “pathological liars” who cannot be trusted.
“We must never forget that Russia is ruled by pathological liars. One cannot trust it, and they must be put under pressure,” Zelensky posted on social media.
On Tuesday, Trump praised his discussions with Moscow as “very good” and implied that Ukraine was responsible for the war, which began with Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
U.S. Support and Russian Disinformation on Popularity Ratings
Zelensky highlighted the scale of U.S. support for Ukraine, stating that the country has received $67 billion in military aid and $31.5 billion in budgetary support from Washington.
He rejected reports that the U.S. was demanding $500 billion in mineral resources in return, dismissing such claims as “not a serious discussion” and reaffirming that Ukraine “cannot be sold.”
Zelensky also denounced claims that his approval rating has dropped to 4%, calling it Russian disinformation.
“We have seen this misinformation, and we understand that it comes from Russia,” he said.
Ukraine’s Army and Resilience
Addressing Ukraine’s military strength, Zelensky asserted that the Ukrainian army remains the most resilient force in Europe and that the majority of Ukrainians will not support any concessions to Russia.
“The army is quite resilient, and it is the most resilient in Europe… It ensures us the opportunity to speak with dignity on an equal basis with other partners,” he concluded.
Source: ANA-MPA, Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
