In an interview for Ukrainian television, Zelenskyy said Trump had the necessary qualities to help Kyiv bring the war to an end, adding that he hoped the new administration in Washington would move quickly.
"Trump can be decisive," Zelenskyy said. "For us, this is the most important thing.
“His qualities are indeed there," Zelenskyy said of the incoming U.S. commander-in-chief. "He can be decisive in this war. He is capable of stopping Putin or, to put it more fairly, help us stop Putin. He is able to do this. I believe he truly wants to end this war."
The Ukrainian president went on to say that any security guarantees would have to involve the United States, as any other solutions would be “weak.” He added that other peace criteria for Kyiv included EU membership and an invitation to join NATO, although Moscow has ruled this out.
He said he wanted the Trump administration to establish contacts with the Kremlin quickly and that Trump had told him he would be among the first to visit Washington after the January 20 inauguration.
Trump claimed repeatedly during his presidential campaign that he could end the war swiftly but did not specify how, although he has since said that he would stand by Ukraine.
“I want to reach an agreement, and the only way you’re going to reach an agreement is not to abandon Ukraine,” he said in an interview with U.S. magazine Time last month.
Trump has named Keith Kellogg, a retired lieutenant general, as his special envoy for Russia and Ukraine. Kellogg has said he would put pressure on Moscow with threats of further weapons provisions for Kyiv, backed up with promises to postpone Ukraine’s NATO accession. He has also said that military aid to Ukraine should be conditional on its willingness to negotiate.
Other officials nominated by the president-elect are more skeptical about arming Ukraine, which Zelenskyy suggested the Kremlin had had a hand in.
"I believe Putin is scared of Trump,” he was quoted by the Kyiv Independent as saying. “That's why he's taking steps to get some of the Kremlin's voice somehow into the Trump administration."
Battlefield pressures
Ukraine is coming under pressure in the east, where Russian forces have been making steady advances. In this respect, Zelenskyy said stabilizing the frontline is Kyiv’s immediate priority.
“They are putting pressure on our boys, who are exhausted and that is a fact,” he said. “We will do everything to at least stabilize the front in January."
Putin has said he is open to peace talks but has stipulated that any discussions must take account of Russia’s battlefield gains and Moscow’s annexation of four regions in eastern and southern Ukraine.
But Zelenskyy said Putin is afraid of peace talks as they would be tantamount to defeat. He also said any settlement would have to respect Ukraine’s positions.
"It cannot be otherwise. We are Ukraine, and it's our independence, our land and our future."
