Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday he hoped to convince President-elect Donald Trump on the basis of common values and “emotions”, facing Russian President Vladimir Putin who is “crazy”.
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“President (elect) Trump is a strong man and I really want him to be on our side, it’s very important,” he declared on the sidelines of a summit of 27 in Brussels in which he participated .
“I really want Trump to help us and for this war to end,” he added.
Asked how he felt as the billionaire’s return to the White House approached on January 20, the Ukrainian president first said “Welcome Donald!” He then explained how crucial it was for the United States to stand by Ukraine, after more than 1,000 days of war against Russia.
“I intend to listen to him, hear his point of view and express ours,” he said. “I hope he understands me, because whether we are politicians or businessmen, we are all human beings and we have, I think, the same emotions.”
By contrast, he painted a portrait of Vladimir Putin, a “dangerous” man, for Ukraine, Europe, but also for the United States. “I think he’s crazy (…), he likes to kill,” he added.
The Ukrainian president went to Brussels, at the invitation of NATO and the EU, to demand European support and sufficient security guarantees, before possible peace negotiations.
But, he stressed, Europe alone will not be enough and it is essential that the United States and Europeans remain united against Russia. “European security guarantees will not be sufficient for Ukraine,” he said. “For us, the real guarantees, now and in the future, are in NATO.”
Some European countries, including France, have raised the possibility of sending troops to Ukrainian soil in order to guarantee compliance with a possible ceasefire. Mr. Zelensky confirmed having discussed it face-to-face on Wednesday evening with French President Emmanuel Macron, but refused to give further details.
