Read NV on Google
Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump (Photo: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he is unfazed by U.S. President Donald Trump's sharp remarks.
Journalists pressed Zelenskyy on October 27 for his reaction to Trump’s sharp public criticism of Ukraine and its leadership.
“How do I feel about it? Calm,” Zelenskyy replied. “Freedom of speech exists not only in Ukraine; it exists in America, too. President Trump can say whatever he wants about me personally, but not about Ukraine. When he says something about Ukraine, I respond, because I have a responsibility to defend our state.”
Zelenskyy also addressed his own public responses to these attacks.
“Regarding my rhetoric: if you speak about something or someone with extreme caution, achieving a result takes a long time – that is, if you even have that time to spare,” Zelenskyy explained. “For instance, suppose you have a sufficient supply of interceptor missiles; if something shuts down or a generator fails, you might be able to send signals quietly and cautiously. But when you are living from one night to the next – and now facing constant strikes during the day as well – and you’re suffering from a shortage of interceptor missiles, and then something else breaks down, you simply don’t have time for ‘quiet signals.’ You need the problem to be noticed, addressed, and resolved. So, I choose the only path available: I speak directly and frankly.”
Zelenskyy added that, in this matter, he views himself as “an instrument that Ukraine should make use of.”
“I am one of the tools that Ukraine should make use of. That’s all. I view this in a purely functional, pragmatic way,” he said. “I can ensure that Ukraine gets noticed and that its problems – whether small or large – are heard right away. So much depends on this speed. I have a good, constructive relationship with President Trump, and I’ve had excellent meetings with the President and his team. But that doesn’t mean that, just because there is a constructive dialogue, destructive actions will go unnoticed. And I say this openly.”
U.S. President Donald Trump, on October 10, accused Volodymyr Zelenskyy of failing to end the war despite having multiple opportunities to do so, arguing that Ukraine should elect a new president to negotiate a peace deal.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha hit back, writing that the Ukrainian people overwhelmingly support Zelenskyy and they alone have the right to choose their leader.
“Statements from abroad only confirm that he is doing his job well,” he wrote.
The following day, Zelenskyy pushed back against Trump's calls for a change in leadership, announcing that Ukraine would hold elections if Russian dictator Vladimir Putin agreed to a 60-day ceasefire.
The Financial Times reported on October 15 that EU leaders plan to urge Zelenskyy to tone down his public criticism of Trump, fearing the friction could further fracture relations between Kyiv and Washington.
Zelenskyy revealed on October 18 that the U.S. government had threatened Ukraine with restricting its access to Starlink and Starshield networks.
“The message came from the government. I don’t know exactly from whom,” Zelenskyy said. “It was a message from the U.S. government regarding the limitation of this speed, and, technically, it was carried out by SpaceX.”
Zelenskyy said on October 22 that Trump had been accusing Ukraine of driving up global fuel prices.
Donald Trump, on October 18, blasted Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries, claiming the attacks disrupt the global diesel market and accusing Zelenskyy of refusing to end the war.
Zelenskyy responded by pointing out that Kyiv had accepted every ceasefire proposal and that Ukraine “never wanted this war.”
The military war may be swinging in our favor, but the information war continues.
Just as an army needs soldiers, so does a free society need its journalists to ensure that people have access to honest, trustworthy voices to understand the world around them.
For the past five years, The New Voice of Ukraine has been working tirelessly to push back against Russian narratives and defend democracy. But we cannot do it alone.
Please consider supporting us on Patreon for just $5 a month – your donation does directly to supporting journalists and ensuring that this front of the infowar says solid and defended.
Thank you.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
