Summary
- Donald Trump says France’s Emmanuel Macron and UK PM Keir Starmer “haven’t done anything” to end the war in Ukraine, ahead of visits from both leaders to the White House next week
- Speaking to Fox News, the US president also says Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky has “no cards” in peace negotiations, adding: “I don’t think he’s very important to be in meetings”
- Meanwhile, UK cabinet minister Pat McFadden says Britain is in a “potentially good position” with Trump, as he urges colleagues to focus on “what will actually happen” as well as what’s said
- Earlier, the US envoy to Ukraine struck a different tone to Trump, calling Zelensky a “courageous leader”
- The extent of Kellogg’s influence on US-Ukrainian relations is questionable,
The leaders Zelensky has spoken to this week
Ukraine’s president has been criticised by President Trump for not bringing the war with Russia to an end, claiming “nothing got done” during three years of war.
This week Volodymyr Zelensky has been reaching out to leaders across the world for support during the ongoing war. Let’s take a look at some of those he has spoken to so far, and what he said following their conversations:
- Polish President Andrzej Duda: Zelensky said their “common goal remains clear – to protect Ukraine and all of Europe from Russia’s war of aggression”
- French President Emmanuel Macron: Zelensky said they discussed “our views on security guarantees – a just and lasting peace is our shared goal”
- Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: The pair discussed “continued military support, energy cooperation, sanctions…and the use of frozen Russian assets,” said Zelensky
- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa: “South Africa’s voice matters, and we count on its support,” said the Ukrainian leader. South Africa has since invited Zelensky for state visit, but is yet to specify a time
- Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen: Zelensky thanked Denmark for supplying weapons “and for our expanding joint defence production”
- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer: The UK’s role in fortifying Europe’s defence and security “is important for us,” Zelensky said
- Nato Secreteray General Mark Rutte: The pair agreed there “must be confidence that in a few months or years, Putin won’t return with his war,” Zelensky said
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan: The pair met during Zelensky’s visit to Turkey
What Trump just said on Fox News podcast
US President Donald Trump has been speaking on a Fox Radio podcast this afternoon.
Here’s what he had to say to host, Brian Kilmeade, on the Russia-Ukraine war:
- Trump says that Russia and Ukraine would not want to begin peace talks if he was not involved
- He says that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron “did nothing” on Russia but says he considers Macron a friend and calls Starmer “a nice guy”
- Trump tells Kilmeade that “of course” he would take a call from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, despite their recent testy exchange of words
- Trump insists several times that Russia could been “talked out” of invading Ukraine
- He says that former US President Joe Biden and Zelensky said the wrong things to Russia and there should never have been a war
- Trump stands by not inviting Zelensky to this week’s peace talks in Saudi Arabia, saying Russia “found it impossible to make a deal with Zelensky”
- He asserts that Russia is sincere in its efforts to make a peace deal, adding that Putin “doesn’t have to make a deal”