Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he is not “afraid” of Donald Trump, unlike other Western leaders, and dismissed reports that their last meeting in Washington was volatile. In an exclusive interview with the Guardian, the Ukrainian president described his relationship with the US president as “normal”, “businesslike” and “constructive”.
Zelenskyy denied claims that Trump had thrown aside maps of the battlefield during a stormy exchange at the White House in October. “He didn’t throw anything. I am sure,” he said. The Ukrainian leader also rejected reports that Trump had pressed him to accept Vladimir Putin’s maximalist terms for ending the war, saying the meeting unfolded differently.
Zelenskyy revealed that King Charles had played a crucial behind-the-scenes role in encouraging Trump to support Ukraine more enthusiastically. During a state visit to the UK in September, Trump held a one-on-one meeting with the king. “I don’t know all the details but I understand His Majesty sent some important signals to President Trump,” Zelenskyy said.
The interview took place at the Mariinskyi Palace in Kyiv, where the electricity supply failed twice due to Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid. “These are our living conditions,” Zelenskyy said with a wry grin. “It’s normal. We have fluctuations with electricity in Kyiv, like everywhere else.”
Zelenskyy said Putin was ordering “terrorist attacks” on Ukraine’s energy system, killing civilians and leaving them without power and water. He called on international partners to help protect Ukraine from nightly Russian drone swarms, but the UK and other allies have so far ruled out sending fighter jets to patrol the skies.
