Volodymyr Zelenskyy Says Trump Is Living In A Russian-Made 'Disinformation Space' | rssama.com

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused U.S. President Donald Trump connected Wednesday of surviving successful a Russian-made “disinformation space,” pointed comments that risked further souring relations pinch Washington arsenic nan American leader pushes for an end to nan war.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would for illustration to meet pinch Trump, a time aft elder American and Russian officials held talks that were partially aimed astatine preparing conscionable specified a summit.

Zelenskyy said he “would for illustration Trump’s squad to beryllium much truthful” successful his first consequence to a bid of striking claims nan U.S. president made nan erstwhile day, including suggesting that Kyiv was to blasted for nan war, which enters its 4th twelvemonth adjacent week.

Russia’s service crossed nan separator connected Feb. 24, 2022, successful an all-out penetration that Putin sought to justify by saying it was needed to protect civilians successful eastbound Ukraine and forestall nan state from joining NATO. Ukraine and its friends denounced it arsenic an unprovoked enactment of aggression.

The comments from Trump and Zelenskyy were a singular back-and-forth betwixt leaders of 2 countries that person been staunch friends successful caller years nether Trump’s predecessor, arsenic nan U.S. provided important subject instrumentality to Kyiv to fend disconnected nan penetration and utilized its governmental weight to take sides Ukraine and isolate Russia connected nan world stage.

The Trump management has started charting a caller course, reaching retired to Russia and pushing for a bid deal. Senior officials from some countries held talks Tuesday to talk improving ties, negotiating an extremity to nan warfare and perchance preparing a gathering betwixt Trump and Putin aft years of frosty relations.

“I would for illustration to person a meeting, but it needs to beryllium prepared truthful that it brings results,” Putin said Wednesday successful televised remarks. He added that he would beryllium “pleased” to meet Trump but noted that Trump has acknowledged that a Ukrainian colony could return longer than he initially hoped.

The Russian leader hailed Tuesday’s talks betwixt Russian and U.S. elder officials successful nan Saudi superior of Riyadh arsenic “very positive.” He said officials who took portion successful nan talks described nan U.S. delegation to him arsenic “completely different group who were unfastened to nan speech process without immoderate bias, without immoderate condemnation of what was done successful nan past,” and wished to activity together pinch Moscow.

Putin said “the extremity and subject” of Tuesday’s talks “was nan restoration of Russia-U.S. relations.”

“Without expanding nan level of spot betwixt Russia and nan United States, it is intolerable to resoluteness galore issues, including nan Ukrainian crisis. The extremity of this gathering was precisely to summation spot betwixt Russia and nan United States,” Putin said.

He brushed disconnected Zelenskyy’s complaints astir Ukraine being near retired of nan U.S.-Russian talks, saying that Kyiv’s guidance was “unfounded.”

“President Trump told maine during our telephone telephone that nan United States are proceeding from nan presumption that nan negotiations process will impact Russia and Ukraine,” Putin said. “No 1 is going to exclude Ukraine retired of it.”

Putin besides added that he was amazed to spot Trump showing “restraint” regarding nan European leaders who backed his rival successful nan U.S. election.

“All European leaders efficaciously intervened straight successful nan U.S. elections,” he said, adding that immoderate “directly insulted” Trump. “Frankly speaking, I’m amazed to spot nan recently elected U.S. president’s restraint regarding his allies, who person behaved successful a boorish measurement to put it straight.”

Putin reiterated nan Kremlin’s charismatic statement that Russia ne'er rejected nan anticipation of talks pinch Kyiv aliases its European allies. “The Europeans person stopped contacts pinch Russia. The Ukrainian broadside has forbidden itself to negotiate,” he said successful a reference to Zelenskyy’s 2022 decree that rejected immoderate talks pinch Moscow.

Zelenskyy’s remarks Wednesday came soon earlier he was expected to meet pinch Keith Kellogg, nan U.S. typical envoy for Ukraine and Russia arsenic portion of nan administration’s caller negotiated blitz.

Ukraine and its European supporters person expressed interest that they weren’t invited to nan talks between apical American and Russian diplomats successful Saudi Arabia, amid larger worries that nan woody taking style could beryllium unfavorable to Kyiv.

At a news convention Tuesday, Trump showed small patience for Ukraine’s objections to being excluded. He besides said, without providing nan source, that Zelenskyy’s support standing stood astatine 4%, while telling reporters that Ukraine “should person ne'er started” nan warfare and “could person made a deal” to forestall it.

Zelenskyy replied Wednesday astatine his ain news conference: “We person seen this disinformation. We understand that it is coming from Russia.” He said that Trump “lives successful this disinformation space.”

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky gives a property convention successful Kyiv, connected Feb. 19, 2025.

Tetiana Dzhafarova via Associated Press

Zelenskyy said he hoped Kellogg would locomotion done Kyiv and inquire Ukrainians “if they spot their president? Do they spot Putin? Let him inquire astir Trump, what they deliberation aft nan statements made by their president.”

Russian authorities TV and different state-controlled media reacted pinch glee to what they portrayed arsenic Trump’s acold enarthrosis to Zelenskyy.

“Trump isn’t moreover trying to hide his irritation pinch Zelenskyy,” nan Rossiya transmission said astatine nan apical of its newscast.

“Trump steamrolled Zelenskyy for his complaints astir nan talks pinch Russia,” nan regular Komsomolskaya Pravda said.

Trump besides suggested Ukraine ought to clasp elections, which person been postponed owed to nan warfare and nan consequent imposition of martial law, successful accordance pinch nan Ukrainian Constitution.

Zelenskyy besides referred to “the story” that 90% of each assistance received by Ukraine comes from nan United States.

He said that, for instance, astir 34% of each weapons successful Ukraine are domestically produced and complete 30% of support comes from Europe.

The battlefield has brought much grim news for Ukraine successful caller months. A relentless onslaught successful eastbound areas by Russia’s bigger service is grinding down Ukrainian forces, who are slow but steadily being pushed backward astatine immoderate points connected nan 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) beforehand line.

American officials person signaled that Ukraine’s hopes of joining NATO to ward disconnected Russian aggression aft reaching a imaginable bid statement won’t happen. Zelenskyy says immoderate colony will require U.S. information commitments to support Russia astatine bay.

“We understand nan request for information guarantees,” Kellogg said successful comments carried by Ukrainian nationalist broadcaster Suspilne Novyny connected his presence astatine Kyiv’s train station.

“It’s very clear to america nan value of nan sovereignty of this federation and nan independency of this federation arsenic well. ... Part of my ngo is to beryllium and listen,” nan retired three-star wide said.

Kellogg said he would convey what he learns connected his sojourn to Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to “ensure that we get this 1 right.”

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