Zelenskyy: US ignoring evidence of Russia aiding Iran because it trusts Putin

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he tried to draw the United States' attention to the fact that Russia has been helping Iran in the war, but that Washington's stance rendered these efforts futile.

Source: The Guardian, citing Zelenskyy in Alastair Campbell's podcast The Rest Is Politics, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Zelenskyy said the US ignored compelling evidence that Russia was helping Iran attack American bases in the Middle East because it "trusts" Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

He stated that Russian military satellites had photographed critically important energy infrastructure facilities in the Gulf states and in Israel, as well as the locations of US military bases across the region, and passed this data to Iran for further attacks.

"I said this publicly. Did we hear a reaction from the US to Russia that they have to stop it? The problem is they trust Putin. And it's a pity," Zelenskyy said.

Zelenskyy also commented on the trilateral negotiation process aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. He stated that US President Donald Trump's team had failed to "really understand the details of what Russia wants". In his view, this happened because two of Trump's negotiators – Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner – had "spent too much time" with Putin and his senior officials.

The US envoys travelled to Moscow five times last year and have not visited Kyiv once.

Zelenskyy said he has a better understanding of Putin's psychology and his actual war aims than the White House does. He noted that Putin would not stop at Donbas and would next attempt to capture regional capitals such as Dnipro and Kharkiv.

"We have to recognise that partially Americans are feeling that [Donbas is] nothing for us," he said.

Background:

• On 6 April, Zelenskyy said that "substantive" work with the US is currently underway on the documents that are being drafted within the framework of negotiations to end the Russo-Ukrainian war.
• Earlier, Kyrylo Budanov, Head of the President's Office, said he expects that a US delegation may visit Kyiv after Orthodox Easter (12 April).
• Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance recently said he thinks it is unreasonable for Ukraine and Russia to be "haggling over a few square kilometres".

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!