Zelenskyy: US has more in common with Ukraine than with Russia

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he believes that Ukraine and the US have more in common than Russia and the US, and that Ukraine would like to continue to have an open, pragmatic and honest relationship with the United States.

Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with Corriere della Sera

Quote: "We have always had important, strong strategic relations with the United States of America. Our bilateral relationship began developing particularly actively during the full-scale war. I am grateful for all the support.

But we have always built our relationship on honesty, fairness and, most importantly, transparency. Because when you lie while your people are at war, it is very painful. That is why I have always wanted to hide nothing and never lie to the president of the United States.

In any case, we have more in common than America does with Russia. Most people in Ukraine and the United States of America understand this.

We would like to continue having the same open, honest, and pragmatic relations with America that we have today."

Details: Zelenskyy added that Ukraine is in favour of a mutual energy ceasefire and said that if Russia ignored it, Ukraine's partners could provide enough air defence systems to enable the country to protect its energy infrastructure.

Quote: "The position is very simple. We support a mutual energy ceasefire. If we are talking about the idea that we should not strike back at Russian energy facilities after they strike our gas, electricity, oil – everything. The Russians are striking. America cannot stop them.

Let's believe that America really wants to but cannot. Then, as a partner, I am willing to meet President Trump halfway: if they strike us and we cannot strike back – that is neither honest nor fair – but if this is what you need, if you cannot rein Putin in, then give us interceptor missiles so I can protect our energy infrastructure. You couldn't stop Putin – but you helped Ukraine."

Background:

• On Sunday 18 October, Zelenskyy accused US President Donald Trump of trying to pressure Ukraine into capitulating to Russia and of delaying deliveries of Patriot interceptor missiles.
• Trump accused Zelenskyy of never having wanted to end Russia's war against Ukraine.
• On 19 October, Trump said he is willing to meet Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, even without Zelenskyy taking part.

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