“During the NBC broadcast interview
‘Even the U.S. knows that we were not prepared.’
About the peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, led by the United States, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky firmly stated, “We do not engage in any dialogue with terrorists.” He directly challenged former President Donald Trump, who claimed he could end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours, to visit Ukraine and witness the war situation firsthand.
During an interview with NBC broadcast in the U.S. on the 5th (local time), President Zelensky responded to recent media reports that U.S. and European Union (EU) officials are discussing peace negotiation issues with the Ukrainian government. “The U.S. knows I am not ready to talk to terrorists,” he said. He added, “We cannot trust terrorists. Their words mean nothing.”
Previously, NBC reported that U.S. and EU officials began to address issues related to peace negotiations that would end the war with Russia and the Ukrainian government. Western countries, reaching the limits of military and humanitarian aid due to fatigue from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war for over 18 months and the addition of armed conflict between Israel and Palestine, are showing signs of a ceasefire atmosphere.
President Zelensky also denied assessments that the war situation is in a stalemate. While acknowledging the situation is challenging, he stated, “I do not see this as a stalemate.” He further added, “Our military is advancing faster and preparing various operational plans for unexpected attacks on Russia.” He explained, “Our advancement is slow because Russia continues to dominate the air, and we lack an air defense system.”
This is a rebuttal to the Ukrainian military’s commander-in-chief Valery Zaluzhny’s statement in a media interview that “the war is moving into a trench warfare or static state,” which would allow Russia to rebuild its military strength.
He also stated his belief that “Russia is behind Hamas in the war between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas, along with Iran, and is supporting Hamas,” insisting, “They should be condemned.” He continued, “To end this war and sit at the negotiation table, these countries’ involvement must be acknowledged,” adding, “This includes North Korea. You would have seen how many North Korean military supplies were found in the Gaza Strip. This is an absolute fact.” He then stated, “If terrorists attack and slaughter children, you have a complete right to protect your citizens and defend your country.”
In response to former President Donald Trump, a leading Republican presidential candidate, claiming that he could have ended the war in Ukraine within 24 hours if re-elected, President Zelensky said, “I invite former President Trump (to Ukraine).” He continued, “I only need 24 minutes to explain that former President Trump could not manage this war. We cannot bring peace (directly to the battlefield) because of Russian President Vladimir Putin.”
By. Cho Yoo Jin
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