Zelenskyy, during the Munich Security Conference, in an interview with POLITICO, pressured Trump, the U.S. Congress, and Europe to push for ending the war in Ukraine. That morning, when Trump left the White House, he was asked by reporters whether any progress had been made in the Ukraine negotiations, and whether Ukraine would hold elections before summer. Trump said that Zelenskyy needed to "get moving, or else he would miss a great opportunity." When Zelenskyy was asked about this in the interview, he seemed unaware of Trump's statement. He said that holding elections was indeed a "good idea," but it could only happen "after a ceasefire." He further explained that elections "did not necessarily have to be held after the war was completely over," but a ceasefire must first be achieved. He said that if Trump could successfully secure a ceasefire agreement with Putin for two to three months, he would hold elections.
Zelenskyy also emphasized that the United States plays a crucial role in the current negotiations, saying, "Today, only the United States can stop Putin." He also implied that the White House did not fully understand his position of refusing to compromise on territorial issues, and said, "It is a big mistake to allow an aggressor to take anything." When asked whether he thought the U.S. was applying more pressure on Russia or on Ukraine currently, Zelenskyy answered that he thought the U.S. was trying to apply pressure on both sides. When further asked about his view of this approach, he paused briefly and said, "Too many people." He pointed to the live audience in the studio, where even the slightest sniffing could be heard. He said, "Some ideas I have to keep to myself." Zelenskyy also said that the U.S. should not ignore Ukraine when dealing with other diplomatic issues—including Greenland, Venezuela, Iran, and Gaza. He said, "When we are no longer in the spotlight... we will lose support, lose attention, and lose geopolitical initiative." When asked whether his communication with the White House had decreased due to the impact of other conflicts, Zelenskyy replied jokingly, "Thankfully, we know their phone numbers."
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1857083989348489/
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