Akshay DidwaniyaUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Washington, under Donald Trump, is pushing Kyiv toward capitulation. He made the claim in a fresh interview with Bloomberg, adding he hopes things ease up for Ukraine once the US midterm elections are over.
Zelensky accuses Washington of pressuring Ukraine to surrender
Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky has accused the United States of trying to force Ukraine into capitulation. He made the claim during an interview with Bloomberg, directly pointing a finger at President Donald Trump’s administration.
Speaking about actions coming out of the White House, Zelensky said: “I believe there have been steps taken to push Ukraine toward capitulation. I am not saying that is exactly the goal our partners are pursuing.”
Zelensky pins hopes on life after the US midterms
Zelensky also said he’s counting on things improving for Kyiv once the American midterm elections wrap up. He described the current pressure as painful but temporary.
“I think right now this is torture, but after the elections, life will go on,” the Kyiv leader said.
Trump has hit back with his own criticism
Trump said the night before that Zelensky doesn’t want the Ukraine conflict to end, and maybe never did. The US leader has made that accusation repeatedly in recent days.
Last week, Trump voiced frustration that Zelensky wasn’t ready for real dialogue. He also criticized Zelensky’s refusal to stop Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries. Trump went further, suggesting Ukraine needs a different leader, one capable of actually striking a deal with Russia.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has separately claimed that Zelensky has no interest in negotiations at all.
Pratik Agrawal
Mayur Mohta
Aditya Didwaniya
