Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has praised Donald Trump as one of many solely leaders feared by Russian President Vladimir Putin whereas calling on the worldwide neighborhood to come back collectively to finish the conflict in Ukraine.
Talking after assembly with Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris over the weekend, Zelenskyy stated that the talks had been “very productive”, and he was grateful for Trump’s “robust resolve” to convey the battle to an finish.
“We all know that America has the capability to perform exceptional issues – issues that others haven’t been in a position to obtain. To reach ending this conflict, we’d like unity – the unity of America, Europe, and everybody on this planet who values safety – in addition to robust positions and ensures for peace,” Zelenskyy stated on X on Tuesday.
Zelenskyy stated that he had instructed the US president-elect that Putin “fears solely him and, maybe, China”.
“And that’s the reality – solely decisiveness can convey this conflict to a simply finish and guarantee lasting peace,” the Ukrainian chief stated.
“Motion is required now to revive the right worldwide order.”
There’s quite a lot of dialogue within the media about reducing the draft age for Ukrainians to go to the frontlines. We should concentrate on equipping current brigades and coaching personnel to make use of this tools. We should not compensate the dearth of kit and coaching with the youth of…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 9, 2024
Zelenskyy’s remarks come two days after Trump known as for an “instant ceasefire” and negotiations to finish the battle.
“Zelenskyy and Ukraine want to make a deal and cease the insanity,” Trump wrote on his Reality Social platform on Sunday.
Throughout his election marketing campaign, Trump repeatedly claimed he would be capable of convey an finish to the battle inside 24 hours, with out elaborating on his plans.
Whereas Trump’s technique for ending the conflict is unclear, supporters of Ukraine have raised fears that it may contain chopping off army support to Kyiv and ceding some or all the Ukrainian territory seized by Russian forces.
“We’re preparing for the worst-case state of affairs, when [Trump] stops all of the provides,” Lieutenant Basic Ihor Romanenko, the previous deputy head of the Basic Employees of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, instructed Al Jazeera final month.
Trump final month tapped Keith Kellogg, a retired general, as his special envoy for the Russia-Ukraine war.
Kellogg, who served as chief of workers for the White Home Nationwide Safety Council throughout Trump’s first time period, has known as for Ukraine’s NATO membership utility to be placed on maintain and for US army support to Ukraine to be tied to Kyiv’s participation in peace talks with Moscow.
He has additionally urged that Moscow could possibly be provided some aid from sanctions in return for a peace settlement and that levies could possibly be imposed on Russian power gross sales to fund the reconstruction of Ukraine.
Zelenskyy stated in a submit on Telegram on Monday that he could be open to the deployment of Western troops in Ukraine to ensure safety as a part of a deal to finish the conflict supplied there was a “clear understanding of when Ukraine can be within the European Union and when Ukraine can be in NATO”.
In his feedback on Tuesday, Zelenskyy additionally dismissed calls to decrease the age of the army draft from 25 following reviews that US officers are pushing Kyiv to contemplate conscripting males as younger as 18.
“We should concentrate on equipping current brigades and coaching personnel to make use of this tools,” Zelenskyy stated.
“We should not compensate the dearth of kit and coaching with the youth of troopers. The precedence ought to be offering missiles and reducing Russia’s army potential, not Ukraine’s draft age. The aim ought to be to protect as many lives as potential, to not protect weapons in storages.”