President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that US President Donald Trump's rhetoric about Russian dictator Vladimir Putin negotiating to end the war or facing great economic pressure is "just and fair." He said this in an interview on Fox News, UNN reports.
This is exactly what Putin is afraid of. He doesn't want strong Trump supporting Ukraine because it would be a strong Ukraine
Trump threatened Putin in a Truth Social post last week, urging him to make a deal or face additional tariffs and sanctions.
Zelensky noted that since the full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine has regained 50% of the territory once held by Russian soldiers.
"We would like to achieve a just end to this war. We are not afraid. Russia is not that strong, but we do not want to lose more of our lives, men and women," he told Fox News host Sean Hannity.
Zelensky added that Putin does not want to end the war, and Ukraine does not recognize the occupation of its lands.
He called for increased international pressure on Putin, particularly from China, to enable a deal to be struck, as well as "broader security guarantees.
"I believe that guarantees from Europe alone will never be enough," Zelenskyy said. - "Europeans understand that without security guarantees from the United States, from President Trump, it will not be enough. Putin is not afraid of Europe. Unfortunately, this is true.
The president explained that before Russia's invasion, he personally asked former US President Joe Biden and his team to take preventive measures, such as imposing sanctions on Russia, as its troops and tanks were amassing on Ukraine's borders. Zelenskiy also asked for weapons, but he said he was told they would be provided only "if" Russia invaded.
"At the same time, I asked the European Union countries, and they could not do it without the approval of the United States. So they always look to the leader, the United States, as the leader. That's why during the great invasion, Ukrainians were left to their own devices, and we fought by ourselves," he said.
"If President Trump has the will to force Putin to come to peace, he can do it," Zelenskiy continued, arguing that he hopes the potential deal is more than just a piece of paper. - We want him to be on the side of justice, on the side of Ukraine.