MINSK, 19 August (BelTA) – Zelensky “has to show some flexibility also,” U.S. President Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox News, TASS informs
“And I hope that Zelensky, President Zelensky, will do what he has to do. He has to show some flexibility," he said.
"I wouldn’t say they are ever going to be best friends, but they're doing okay. We’ll just see,” the U.S. president noted. “So we're setting up a meeting, I sort of set it up, with Putin and Zelensky, and they are the ones that have to call the shots. We’re 7000 miles away, in all fairness. You know, we spent, through the previous administration, $350 billion. Europe has spent a lot also, $100 billion, but it should be reversed
The U.S. president noted that Ukraine was not going to be a part of NATO and that the United States is ready to assist Europe. “We’ve got the European nations, and they’ll front load it, and some of them want to have, you know, boots on the ground,” Trump said. “We’re willing to help them with things, especially, probably, if you could talk about by air, because there’s nobody has the kind of stuff we have,” Trump noted.
“And I hope that Zelensky, President Zelensky, will do what he has to do. He has to show some flexibility," he said.
"I wouldn’t say they are ever going to be best friends, but they're doing okay. We’ll just see,” the U.S. president noted. “So we're setting up a meeting, I sort of set it up, with Putin and Zelensky, and they are the ones that have to call the shots. We’re 7000 miles away, in all fairness. You know, we spent, through the previous administration, $350 billion. Europe has spent a lot also, $100 billion, but it should be reversed
The U.S. president noted that Ukraine was not going to be a part of NATO and that the United States is ready to assist Europe. “We’ve got the European nations, and they’ll front load it, and some of them want to have, you know, boots on the ground,” Trump said. “We’re willing to help them with things, especially, probably, if you could talk about by air, because there’s nobody has the kind of stuff we have,” Trump noted.
According to Trump, France and Germany intend to station their troops in Ukraine following the settlement of the conflict. The U.S. president assured that American forces would not be deployed in Ukraine as long as he leads the Washington administration.
He also emphasized that neither the return of Crimea to Ukraine nor Kiev’s accession to the North Atlantic Alliance was possible.
Additionally, in a television interview, the U.S. president characterized his post-negotiation phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin as very good, following the 18 August Ukraine-related meetings at the White House.
“We had a very good talk. I told him [Putin] that we’re going to set up a meeting with President Zelenskyy and you and he will meet and then after that meeting if everything works out, okay, I’ll lead and we’ll wrap it up,” he said.
“But, you know, it takes, in this case, two to tango. They [Putin and Zelensky] have to have somewhat of a relationship. Otherwise, we’re just wasting a lot of time. I don’t want to be doing that,” the U.S. president added. In his words, he just wants to end the conflict in Ukraine.
On Monday, 18 August, Trump hosted Vladimir Zelensky and EU leaders at the White House. Additionally, as reported by Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, a phone conversation took place between the presidents of Russia and the USA, during which the U.S. president informed the Russian president about the negotiations with Vladimir Zelensky and European heads of state.
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