Zelenskyy Splits With Trump on Tactics, Fears ‘Yalta 2.0’
(MENAFN) President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday that he and U.S. President Donald Trump want the same outcome in the Russia-Ukraine war but disagree on how to reach it, and he used the day to challenge Washington’s approach on several fronts.
In a post on Telegram, Zelenskyy said he told the American side that Ukrainians read Russian society better than the United States does, a product of their shared Soviet past and years of living next to Russians. “We are on the same side with President Trump when we talk about the need to end this Russian war. But we see different tools to achieve this goal,” he said.
Asked for his view of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Zelenskyy called him “a deeply Soviet person” in both outlook and mentality. “Speaking the truth is one of our weapons,” he said, adding that he would keep speaking openly while Ukraine is under pressure and would use every diplomatic channel to defend the country.
Zelenskyy also said Russia has long gone after Ukraine’s data infrastructure and cyberspace, forcing Kyiv to develop its own countermeasures. He said Ukraine’s decentralized digital architecture has kept mobile and internet service running despite strikes on data centers, and that Ukrainian strikes hurt Russia more because its systems are more centralized.
Territorial questions and U.S. proposals
Speaking to Ukrainian media, Zelenskyy said territorial questions in talks with Russia can be settled only by the two countries’ leaders. He listed the U.S. proposals as demilitarized zones, solutions for the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, possible territorial exchanges and a buffer zone in Donbas. Ukraine is ready to discuss them, he said, but such issues cannot be resolved through preliminary documents or informal talks alone.
He dismissed Russia’s demand that NATO pull its military presence back to 1997 borders as an attempt to remake Europe’s security architecture. Discussing Russian security demands now would be premature, he argued, until the war’s outcome and Ukraine’s own guarantees are clear.
Warning on U.S.-Russia economic ties
Zelenskyy also opposed closer U.S.-Russian economic ties, reportedly involving a diesel fuel deal, fertilizers, natural gas, frozen assets and sanctions relief. He argued these could carry long-term risks for Washington, calling it an “economic marriage” built on Russian resources that may not serve American interests over time.
He voiced concern about a possible meeting in Beijing among Trump, Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying he did not want it to become “Yalta 2.0,” a reference to the 1945 conference where the Allied powers discussed the postwar order. He insisted the agenda must include the war in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Winter readiness and air defense
On winter preparations, Zelenskyy said the capital is not adequately ready and that national and local authorities, including Mayor Vitali Klitschko, must work together despite the difficulties. He cited Kharkiv as better prepared and noted that several candidates had turned down the offer to lead Kyiv’s military administration.
On air defense, he said Ukraine receives about 12 Patriot interceptors a month from the United States but used 35 in October alone. He noted that Washington itself faces shortages and said he has asked Trump to approve a special package before winter.
In a post on Telegram, Zelenskyy said he told the American side that Ukrainians read Russian society better than the United States does, a product of their shared Soviet past and years of living next to Russians. “We are on the same side with President Trump when we talk about the need to end this Russian war. But we see different tools to achieve this goal,” he said.
Asked for his view of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Zelenskyy called him “a deeply Soviet person” in both outlook and mentality. “Speaking the truth is one of our weapons,” he said, adding that he would keep speaking openly while Ukraine is under pressure and would use every diplomatic channel to defend the country.
Zelenskyy also said Russia has long gone after Ukraine’s data infrastructure and cyberspace, forcing Kyiv to develop its own countermeasures. He said Ukraine’s decentralized digital architecture has kept mobile and internet service running despite strikes on data centers, and that Ukrainian strikes hurt Russia more because its systems are more centralized.
Territorial questions and U.S. proposals
Speaking to Ukrainian media, Zelenskyy said territorial questions in talks with Russia can be settled only by the two countries’ leaders. He listed the U.S. proposals as demilitarized zones, solutions for the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, possible territorial exchanges and a buffer zone in Donbas. Ukraine is ready to discuss them, he said, but such issues cannot be resolved through preliminary documents or informal talks alone.
He dismissed Russia’s demand that NATO pull its military presence back to 1997 borders as an attempt to remake Europe’s security architecture. Discussing Russian security demands now would be premature, he argued, until the war’s outcome and Ukraine’s own guarantees are clear.
Warning on U.S.-Russia economic ties
Zelenskyy also opposed closer U.S.-Russian economic ties, reportedly involving a diesel fuel deal, fertilizers, natural gas, frozen assets and sanctions relief. He argued these could carry long-term risks for Washington, calling it an “economic marriage” built on Russian resources that may not serve American interests over time.
He voiced concern about a possible meeting in Beijing among Trump, Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying he did not want it to become “Yalta 2.0,” a reference to the 1945 conference where the Allied powers discussed the postwar order. He insisted the agenda must include the war in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Winter readiness and air defense
On winter preparations, Zelenskyy said the capital is not adequately ready and that national and local authorities, including Mayor Vitali Klitschko, must work together despite the difficulties. He cited Kharkiv as better prepared and noted that several candidates had turned down the offer to lead Kyiv’s military administration.
On air defense, he said Ukraine receives about 12 Patriot interceptors a month from the United States but used 35 in October alone. He noted that Washington itself faces shortages and said he has asked Trump to approve a special package before winter.
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