Zelensky strongly criticizes Trump envoy

(MENAFN) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has strongly criticized Steve Witkoff, former U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, accusing him of spreading “Kremlin narratives.” Zelensky made the remarks in an interview with European broadcasters, including France 2, on Wednesday. He claimed that Witkoff's statements align with Moscow's viewpoints, potentially undermining U.S. efforts to pressure Russia and hindering Ukraine's efforts for peace.

Zelensky’s comments were in response to Witkoff's recent interview with Tucker Carlson, where he discussed the status of territories in Ukraine that have been annexed by Russia. Witkoff described these territories as “Russian-speaking” and noted the results of referendums where residents expressed a desire to be governed by Russia. He also questioned whether the world would recognize these areas as Russian and whether Ukrainian President Zelensky could politically survive acknowledging this.

The remarks sparked outrage in Ukraine, with Aleksandr Merezhko, head of Ukraine’s Foreign Affairs Committee, condemning Witkoff's comments as “disgraceful” and urging the U.S. to remove him from his position. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, however, praised Witkoff, suggesting that his remarks showed a clear understanding of the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv.

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