Zelenskyy: Putin is trying to deceive Trump, seeking way out of "political isolation"
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Russian leader Vladimir Putin is seeking ways to escape "political isolation" and is trying to deceive US President Donald Trump in order to delay the introduction of new sanctions.
Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with Sky News
Details: During a conversation with Yalda Hakim from Sky News at the Office of the President in Kyiv, Zelenskyy was asked whether he considered the summit between the Russian and US leaders in Alaska in August a mistake.
Quote from Zelenskyy: "I think it gave a lot to Putin, and I believe if it was a trilateral meeting [with Ukraine included], we would have some result."
Details: Zelenskyy also affirmed that Putin is trying to deceive Trump.
He said that Putin "wanted to escape from political isolation" through the Alaska summit and believes that "he [Putin] should have paid more" for this meeting with the US president.
Quote from Zelenskyy: "He should have received a setback in this war and stop. But instead, he received de-isolation. He got the photos with President Trump.
He received public dialogue, and I think this opens the doors for Putin into some other summits and formats, because that's how it is, and we see that, we observe this, and I don't think he paid anything for it."
Details: Zelenskyy added that it is "very important not to give Mr Putin this space, because otherwise he won't feel compelled that he has to stop the war".
Quote from Zelenskyy: "He's waging the war and everyone is trying to stop him by arguing, by asking him - but instead force should be used.
He understands force. That's his language. That is the language he understands."
Details: Zelenskyy noted that Putin "doesn't speak many languages, but that's the language of force he understands, just like Russian, his mother tongue".
Because of this, the president added: "We ask very much European and US countries to do that, to show that."
Quote from Zelenskyy: "Yes, they take some steps, such as sanctions, for example, but more needs to be done, quicker."
Background:
- The Trump-Putin meeting ended with no agreements reached and no ceasefire in Ukraine announced, despite both leaders claiming "great progress" was made.
- After the Alaska talks, Trump said he had reached an agreement with Putin on a territory exchange and that "President Zelenskyy has to agree".
- Trump is reported to have told Ukraine and European leaders that Putin wants to immediately discuss the terms of ending the war, not just a pause in the hostilities. Trump believes this would be better.
- On 16 August, Trump spoke first with Zelenskyy and then European leaders after his talks with Putin. Zelenskyy announced that he would meet Trump in Washington on 18 August.
- According to Bloomberg, Trump has informed European leaders and Zelenskyy that Putin is still demanding that Ukrainian troops withdraw from the entire territory of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. In return, Russia will give up its claims to the areas of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts that it does not currently control, effectively freezing the front line.
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