Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky hits back after Trump blames him for holding up peace talks
Volodymyr Zelensky has responded to Donald Trump’s claim that he is preventing an end to the Ukraine war, saying Kyiv will “never be an obstacle to peace”.
The Ukrainian president spoke to Nato secretary general Mark Rutte on Thursday and said they discussed “diplomatic work with America”. And he pointed to Russia’s ongoing “attempt to destroy Ukraine” with missiles and drones as evidence that Putin has no interest in stopping his invasion.
Earlier, Trump was asked why US-led negotiations had not yet resolved Europe’s largest land conflict since the Second World War. He responded: “Zelensky”. He added that Putin “is ready to make a deal” while “Ukraine is less ready to make a deal”.
Ukraine continues to face attacks on its energy infrastructure, as Russia weaponises the bitter cold that grips the country each winter. Zelensky has declared an energy state of emergency, saying more work needs to be done to recover quickly after Russia’s strikes.
The UK on Friday announced it would provide Ukraine with a new £20m package of emergency support for its energy sector.
