 "Zelenskyy pins hope on Potus for Russia-Ukraine peace talks")
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed hope that the US President Donald Trump could help bring an end to the Russia-Ukraine war and secure a ceasefire. Zelenskyy said Trump is “a businessman” and can pressure Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to the negotiation table to end the almost three-year war.
Zelenskyy, speaking after a fiery speech at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland’s Davos, said, “Trump is a businessman. He knows how to apply pressure.” Zelenskyy further said to the reporters that he is hopeful about the new administration in the US.
‘Putin is destroying Russia’: Trump
After assuming office, Trump stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin was “destroying Russia” by not negotiating a deal to end the war with Ukraine. He also warned of imposing sanctions on Russia if Putin does not come to the negotiation table to bring an end to the conflict.
Zelenskyy says Trump is strong, has enough power to pressure Putin
Earlier, in an interview with podcaster Lex Fridman, Zelenskyy emphasised that Trump could help secure a ceasefire with Russia.
Zelenskyy said, “Trump is strong and has enough power to pressure Putin into stopping Russia’s war on Ukraine”. Zelenskyy told Fridman that he would first sit down with Trump to reach an understanding about the ceasefire and then they would approach the question of ceasefire with Putin.
Trump’s opposition for aid to Ukraine
Trump was seen as a pro-Russia contender during his campaign for the race to the white house. Trump also opposed military aid to Ukraine during the campaign, maintaining his “America First” stance. He argued that Europe should take more responsibility for Ukraine’s defense and raised admiration for Putin in the past.
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Putin has said he is willing to negotiate a ceasefire with Ukraine. However, his demands are firm. Among them, he wants Ukraine to promise not to join NATO or the European Union and to limit its military.
In 2022, Russia and Ukraine held several rounds of ceasefire talks in Turkey, but no conclusion was achieved.