In a Tuesday interview with CNN, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky encouraged former President Donald Trump to share his ideas on how to stop the war with Russia.
“He can publicly share his idea now, not waste time, not to lose people, yes, and then say that ‘My formula is to stop the war and stop all this tragedy and stop Russian aggression,” Zelensky told CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer. “And he said, how he sees it, how to push Russian from our land. Otherwise, he’s not presenting the global idea of peace.”
Zelensky also emphasized that he does not want to give up Ukrainian territory for a peace negotiation. He questioned Trump’s claim of being able to quickly end the war in July.
“It seems to me that the sole desire to bring the war to an end is beautiful,” Zelensky told Martha Raddatz on ABC’s “This Week” through a translator. “But this desire should be based on some real-life experience. Well, it looks as if Donald Trump had already these 24 hours once in his time. We were at war, not a full-scale war, but we were at war, and as I assume, he had that time at his disposal, but he must have had some other priorities.”
Last weekend, Trump welcomed praise by Russian President Vladimir Putin for the former president’s comments on wanting a speedy end to the war. He said he would get Zelensky and Putin into a room together and figure out a deal.
“I like that he said that because that means what I’m saying is right,” Trump said on “Meet the Press” Sunday.
Zelensky is visiting the U.S. this week and will meet with U.S. leaders including House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and President Joe Biden. His visit comes at a time when Congress is divided over whether aid to Ukraine should be included in a continuing resolution to keep funding the government.
At a press conference Tuesday, McCarthy said he has questions for the Ukrainian leader.
“Where’s the accountability on the money we already spent?” McCarthy said, listing off questions he said he would ask the Ukrainian leader when he meets with him. “What is the plan for victory?”