Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin is afraid of former U.S. President Donald Trump, particularly his potential strong backing of Ukraine.
Zelenskyy made this assertion during an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Tuesday. Through a translator, he stated.
“This is exactly what Putin is afraid of. He doesn’t want strong Trump supporting Ukraine because it would be a strong Ukraine.”
His comments follow Trump’s recent statement on Truth Social, where he urged Putin to negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war or face severe economic consequences.
In his post, Trump warned, “Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE. If we don’t make a ‘deal,’ and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries.”
When asked whether Ukraine was open to negotiations to end the war, Zelenskyy reaffirmed his country’s determination to seek a fair resolution.
“We would like to achieve a fair end to this war. We are not afraid. Russia is not that strong, but we don’t want to lose more of our lives, men and women,” he added.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Andriy Sybiha, welcomed Trump’s firm stance on Russia. Speaking at a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Sybiha stated, “We do really welcome such strong messages from President Trump.”
The Russia-Ukraine war has now lasted nearly three years, with hundreds of thousands of casualties recorded on both sides.
While diplomatic solutions remain uncertain, Ukraine continues to seek international support to defend sovereignty.