Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Hopes US Will “Stay Strong”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed his hope that the United States will remain strong in the face of Russian demands. Russia wants the US to lift sanctions on its food and fertiliser trade as a condition for a ceasefire in the Black Sea.
Zelensky made these comments during a panel interview in Paris with journalists from across Europe. He was asked if he thought the US would stay strong, and replied: “I hope so. God bless, they will. But we’ll see.”
A Ceasefire Agreement
The White House announced on Tuesday that Russian and Ukrainian delegations had agreed to a ceasefire in the Black Sea after three days of talks with American officials in Saudi Arabia. However, just hours later, Russia released its own statement outlining conditions for the truce.
Russia’s Demands
These conditions include lifting sanctions on financial institutions involved in the agricultural trade, as well as restoring their access to the Swift international payment system. The US government has said it is looking at these requests, but the EU has stated that it will not consider removing sanctions until Russia withdraws its troops from Ukraine’s internationally-recognised territory.
Zelensky’s Comments
Speaking in Paris, Zelensky expressed his gratitude for bipartisan support from the US, but also expressed concern that some people are “under the influence of Russian narratives”. He said: “We can’t agree to those narratives.”
When asked about US President Donald Trump‘s relationship with him and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Zelensky replied: “I don’t know. It’s difficult for me to say.”