Zelensky: 'I am one of the few who tells Trump when he is wrong'
Ukrainian president welcomes ceasefire signed in the Middle East: 'Now let's get back to talking about my country'
Key points
"Who has a better relationship with Trump than I do? I think we have a good relationship because I am one of the few people who tells him what he thinks. There are not many people who can tell the president of the United States that he is not always right. We need support from the United States, not only militarily. They also need us and our experience from these years of war'. So said the president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with Radio Rai correspondent Marco Barbonaglia.
With this in mind, Zelensky - this time interviewed on the podcast 'The Rest is Politics' - pointed out that the US has ignored overwhelming evidence that Russia has helped Iran strike US bases in the Middle East because they "trust" Vladimir Putin. Zelensky claimed that Russian military satellites have photographed critical energy infrastructure in the Gulf states and Israel, as well as the locations of US military bases throughout the region. The Kremlin, he added, has transmitted details and images to the Iranian regime to facilitate its attacks. "I have said this publicly," the Ukrainian president continued, "Have we perhaps heard a reaction from the United States towards Russia, a reaction along the lines of "should they stop this?" The problem is that they trust Putin. And that is a shame." Zelensky added that Donald Trump's team failed to "really understand the details of what Russia wants".
Zelensky, however, congratulated the US on the result achieved on the ceasefire in Iran, saying that this will make it "easier to deal with this energy crisis". "Support for Ukraine, with arms supplies, must continue," he specified. The US was "more focused on the Middle East" and that is why "the three-way negotiations with Russia have been postponed. But we will start again, he assured.
The Ukrainian leader then praised Italia and its Prime Minister. "Giorgia Meloni is a strong leader not only throughout Europe but also in Brussels. She is one of the most outspoken voices, especially in helping Ukraine. Today we need to unlock the 90 billion in assistance to our country. It depends on many voices and Giorgia's voice is very important for us. Giorgia Meloni has good relations with the US and the US must put pressure on Russia for a ceasefire and then end this war. The same can be said of Brussels,' Zelensky hoped.
The situation on the ground
On the ground the count of civilian victims continues: a Russian attack killed one person and wounded four in the southern Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia, regional authorities reported. "One person was killed and four wounded" in the attack that took place in the early morning hours, Ivan Fedorov, head of the regional military administration, wrote on Telegram. He added that the number of casualties was "rising" after the attack, which destroyed several houses in the rural town of Balabyne.
