Zelensky claims Putin fears Trump, manipulates ceasefire talks
Putin is afraid to oppose Trump and therefore manipulates the response to the ceasefire initiative, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday.
Volodymyr Zelensky spoke on Thursday evening, referring to the words of Vladimir Putin during a conference with Alexander Lukashenko present.
Putin then questioned why Ukrainians need a 30-day ceasefire and suggested that it might be for mobilisation or to deliver weapons to Kyiv. According to him, Ukraine might simply be interested in regrouping its forces. "How will we have confidence and assurance that nothing like that will happen?" he asked.
However, the Russian leader stated that Russia supports the American proposal to end the conflict by peaceful means but emphasised that any ceasefire should lead to lasting peace, meaning it must address the fundamental causes of the conflict.
He also noted that if a ceasefire occurs, it is unclear how the situation will develop in Russia's Kursk region and other areas. Therefore, as he declared, the next steps regarding the conflict must be agreed upon with consideration of the situation on the front lines.
Zelensky: Putin is afraid to speak directly
Putin's Thursday statements were commented on in an evening recording by Volodymyr Zelensky. According to his comments, the leader of Russia, in fear of Donald Trump, manipulates the response to the ceasefire initiative in the war that his country is waging against Ukraine.
"Just a moment ago, we all heard very predictable, very manipulative words from Putin in response to the idea of silence on the front—in reality, he is now preparing a refusal," Zelensky said.
As assessed by the President of Ukraine, Putin is afraid to tell Trump directly that he wants to continue the war, to 'kill Ukrainians.'
In his statement, Zelensky also emphasised that international pressure needs to be intensified on the Russian leader and sanctions need to be introduced to compel Russia toward peace.
