The Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelenski, said that the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, is afraid of direct negotiations with Ukraine and has assured that this represents his “weakness.”
“He (Putin) is definitely afraid of direct conversations with us. I think, in his mind, that represents his defeat, his weakness. He fears this, so he will do everything possible to boost his old narrative that this is a War between the West and Russia, “said the president in an interview with Associated Press.
Zelenski added that Putin “cannot admit that he is actually losing against Ukraine.” “He has not defeated Ukraine, which means he is losing. And he cannot recognize him because Russia is here on the map, and here is Ukraine. That is why he says: ‘I want to talk to Trump, I am ready to talk to the United States ‘;
Zelenski, as the Ukrainian newspaper has remarked He is convinced that Putin will try to derail the negotiations. “He will begin by saying: ‘This is a war between Russia and the West, so I am talking to the West.’ When President Trump tells him that Ukraine must be at the negotiating table, he will once again raise issues of illegitimacy.”
“It will invent reasons to avoid the possibility of ending war in Ukraine through conversations with Ukraine. It is not about personalities, it is its position within its own state, to demonstrate that Ukraine has no capacity to action,” he added .
In Zelenski’s opinion, Putin believes he is “at war with the United States and believes he is winning against the United States.” “Although, especially on the battlefield, it is difficult for us, it is not so. Actually, Ukraine has not allowed us to defeat us,” he said.
The president has also emphasized that the negotiations between the United States and Russia on the war in Ukraine without the participation of Ukraine would be “wrong”: “If we discuss our action plan with Trump and understand how this war can end, then you can probably speak with The Russians if you want, and that’s fine. “
