Zelensky Praises Trump’s ‘Strength’ Ahead of High-Stakes War Meeting
Mystyslav Chernov/AP photo
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised President Donald Trump for his “strength” ahead of a high-stakes meeting between the pair and a number of other European leaders on Monday.
“I thank @GeneralKellogg for the meeting and for the joint work with our team. President Trump invited Ukraine and other European countries to Washington today – this is the first meeting in such a format, and it is very serious,” began Zelensky on X in reference to a recent meeting with Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia.
“When peace is discussed for one country in Europe, it means peace for all of Europe. We are ready to continue working with maximum effort to end the war and to ensure reliable security. These are the key issues. Last night, Russian attacks on our cities continued – among those killed were two children, and dozens of people were wounded. People were simply sleeping when the Russian army launched strikes on the cities,” he continued. “We discussed the battlefield situation and our strong diplomatic capabilities – Ukraine’s and all of Europe’s together with America.”
“Russia can only be forced into peace through strength, and President Trump has that strength. We have to do everything right to make peace happen. Thank you!” concluded Zelensky.
Trump has expressed optimism that a lasting peace in Eastern Europe might be achieved after meeting with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in Alaska last Friday, and suggested in a Sunday evening post on Truth Social that “President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight.”
Zelensky, meanwhile, has argued that the onus is on Putin.
“I have already arrived in Washington, tomorrow I am meeting with President Trump. Tomorrow we are also speaking with European leaders. I am grateful to @POTUS for the invitation. We all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably. And peace must be lasting. Not like it was years ago, when Ukraine was forced to give up Crimea and part of our East—part of Donbas—and Putin simply used it as a springboard for a new attack. Or when Ukraine was given so called “security guarantees” in 1994, but they didn’t work. Of course, Crimea should not have been given up then, just as Ukrainians did not give up Kyiv, Odesa, or Kharkiv after 2022. Ukrainians are fighting for their land, for their independence. Now, our soldiers have successes in Donetsk and Sumy regions,” wrote Zelensky in another post. “I am confident that we will defend Ukraine, effectively guarantee security, and that our people will always be grateful to President Trump, everyone in America, and every partner and ally for their support and invaluable assistance. Russia must end this war, which it itself started. And I hope that our joint strength with America, with our European friends, will force Russia into a real peace.”
