Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed concerns about the challenges of working with Donald Trump but affirmed his willingness to collaborate with any winner of the US presidential election.
In an interview with the BBC in London, Zelensky acknowledged the potential difficulties of a partnership with Trump, the Republican candidate for the upcoming November election. However, he emphasized his commitment to working with whoever is elected.
When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Trump controversially praised President Vladimir Putin’s actions as “genius” and “savvy.” Trump’s 2016 campaign and alleged Russian interference in that election were investigated, a process he consistently dismissed as a “witch hunt.”
Trump has also criticized the extensive US aid to Ukraine, which has amounted to billions of dollars during the ongoing conflict with Russia. At the Republican National Convention, Trump declared he would end the Russia-Ukraine war but did not provide specific details on how he would achieve this.
Asked about the prospect of Trump winning the election, Zelensky responded, “It will be hard work, but we are hard workers, we are not afraid of hard work.”
Earlier this week, Trump announced Ohio Senator JD Vance as his running mate. Vance, like Trump, has previously expressed indifference about the Russia-Ukraine war, stating he “doesn’t care what happens to Ukraine one way or the other.” Zelensky commented on Vance’s stance, saying, “Maybe he really doesn’t understand what goes on in Ukraine, so we have to work with the United States.”
Ukraine heavily relies on aid from European allies and other Western nations to fortify its defense against Russia. Despite the challenges, Zelensky remains optimistic about Ukraine’s ability to defeat Russia. He also mentioned he would consider stepping down once the war is over.
cable