Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked Donald Trump to visit Ukraine to see the devastation caused by Russian aggression.
The interview, for the 60 Minutes show, was recorded before Sunday’s Russian attack that killed at least 34 people in Sumy, in northeastern Ukraine, and caused international condemnation.
Addressing the American President indirectly, Zelensky said:
“We want you to come and see. Do you think you understand what is happening here? Very well, we respect your decision. But I ask you, before making any decision, before any form of negotiation, come and see the people, civilians, soldiers, hospitals, churches, children, destroyed or dead. Come and see, and then we can move forward with a plan to end the war. You will understand what Putin has done,” Zelensky said.
At a time when Donald Trump seems to be losing patience with Vladimir Putin, who has not accepted his ceasefire offer, Zelensky declared that “Putin cannot be trusted”.
“I have told President Trump this on numerous occasions: Putin never wanted to stop the war. He never wanted us to be independent. Putin wants to completely destroy us,” he said.
Asked about Donald Trump’s comments referring to him as a “dictator” and saying that Kiev started the war, Zelensky lamented the fact that “the Russian point of view is dominant in the United States”.
“This indicates the enormous influence of Russian propaganda in America, on American politics and political personnel,” he stated.
Russia launched a large-scale invasion against Ukraine in February 2022 and currently occupies approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory in the east and south. While Russian troops are slowly advancing in the east, the conflict is currently dominated by missile and drone attacks.