Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
The Ukrainian president paints a very different picture of his meeting with Donald Trump than what has previously been reported.
I n an interview with The Guardian, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed talk of tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump, saying he is not “afraid” of him.
The interview took place at the Mariinsky Palace in central Kyiv, where the power went out twice during the conversation. Zelensky joked that it was “normal”.
“These are our living conditions,” Zelensky said with a wry smile as backup generators restored the light.
Trump meeting denied
According to reports cited by The Financial Times, Trump pressed Zelensky to make concessions to Moscow — a claim the Ukrainian leader disputes.
“He didn’t throw anything. I’m sure of that,” Zelensky said. Their talks, he added, were “normal,” “professional,” and “constructive.”
Trump allegedly urged Zelensky to accept Putin’s harsh terms for ending the war, warning that Russia would “destroy” Ukraine otherwise.
But Zelensky described a different scene — one in which Ukrainian officials laid out proposals to weaken Moscow through sanctions and arms support, aiming to push Putin toward negotiations.
When asked whether he feared Trump, Zelensky replied, “No, we are not enemies with America. We are friends. So why should we be afraid?”
Pleas for air defense
As Ukraine endures another winter under attack, Zelensky said he continues to press Western allies for air defense systems.
He hopes to buy 27 Patriot batteries from U.S. manufacturers but urged European partners to lend existing ones in the meantime.
Zelensky said he remains in close contact with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer but acknowledged that leaders are cautious about deeper involvement.
Fighting on multiple fronts
On the battlefield, Zelensky said Russia had deployed about 170,000 troops in its push to capture the eastern city of Pokrovsk, with “no real success” and “many casualties.”
Ukrainian estimates suggest Moscow lost around 25,000 soldiers in October alone.
He warned that Russia’s ambitions extend beyond Ukraine, suggesting the Kremlin could “open a second front” elsewhere in Europe. “He can do both things at the same time,” Zelensky said of Putin.
Recent incidents — including a drone crossing into Poland and others spotted near airports in Copenhagen, Munich, and Brussels — were, in his view, part of a wider “hybrid war” designed to test NATO’s limits.
Sources: The Guardian, Financial Times, News.ro, USA.gov
This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, who may have used AI in the preparation
