Zelenskyy Denies Trump Pressured Him in Meeting

In an interview with the prestigious British publication "The Guardian," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy provided details about his relationship with US President Donald Trump and recent media reports. Symbolically, during the conversation at Kyiv's Mariinskyi Palace, the electricity unexpectedly went out, to which the Ukrainian leader responded with a calm observation: "Well, that's life."

At the heart of the interview was the situation surrounding the talks between Zelenskyy and Trump on October 17. Earlier, the "Financial Times" had written that Trump pressured Zelenskyy, demanding he accept the settlement terms proposed by Russia. According to the publication, the US President even threatened that otherwise Ukraine "would face destruction" and threw aside maps of the front line.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy categorically denied this information, stating that the reality was completely different. "Nothing of the sort happened, and the meeting proceeded differently," he emphasized, adding: "He said nothing of the kind. I am sure of it." The Ukrainian President clarified that, in fact, it was the Ukrainian delegation that presented the American side with three posters outlining steps to "weaken" Moscow and bring it to the negotiating table. These measures, according to him, included increasing weapons supplies and tightening sanctions.

Addressing his personal relationship with Trump, Zelenskyy assured that he is "not afraid" of him. "Everyone in the world is afraid of Trump. We are not enemies of America. We are friends. So what should we be afraid of?" he stated, calling the United States an irreplaceable strategic partner for Ukraine.

Interestingly, Zelenskyy also revealed that King Charles III of Great Britain helped him in "building a relationship" with Trump. According to the Ukrainian President, the US leader has great respect for the British monarch and considers him a "very important person."