President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in an interview broadcast on ABC News that Ukraine is prepared to conclude a peace agreement with the Russia immediately if achievable, while expressing regret over the contraction of US military assistance.
Speaking in the interview, the president confirmed that Kyiv is prepared to halt hostilities as quickly as possible, reiterating Ukraine’s readiness to freeze combat operations along the existing line of contact.
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Zelensky clarified that while Russian forces currently occupy over 19 percent of Ukrainian territory in the Donbas, Kyiv is unwilling to cede additional land to secure an end to the war.
Addressing the state of bilateral relations with Washington, Zelensky stated that while he does not feel betrayed by the US, he regrets the decline in American defense support.
“I feel what I feel. This is not support,” Zelensky remarked regarding the reduced flow of military supplies.
Personal diplomacy between Trump and Putin
Zelensky acknowledged an apparent warming of relations between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, observing that the nature of Trump’s personal engagement with the Kremlin leader represents an autonomous presidential prerogative.
“I don’t know whether it’s wrong or not, because it’s his personal decision whether to be friends with Putin or not,” Zelensky said, adding that, in his view, the two leaders maintain “quite good relations.”
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When asked whether he believes Putin asked Trump to halt intelligence sharing between the US and Ukraine, Zelensky responded: “I don’t know. I hope, I believe and hope, God bless, no.”
Zelensky addressed his own diplomatic style, explaining that defending Ukraine’s sovereign interests during wartime requires an unyielding posture rather than diplomatic deference.
“There cannot be a weak president in Ukraine right now,” Zelensky stated. “Of course, I am an ordinary person, I’m just human, though perhaps not such a great ‘humanist’ as Putin, of course.”
The president stressed that his communication with Trump remains candid and transparent, rejecting tactical pretense.
“As between friends, as in a family, you have to be honest, not play games. I don’t play games with Trump. That is my difference from Putin. I don’t play any games with him. I am direct, honest,” Zelensky said.
Patriot munition shortfalls and capital ballistic strikes
The Ukrainian head of state reiterated the acute disparity between domestic air defense requirements and recent munition transfers from the US.
Zelensky confirmed that over the past three months, Ukraine received only 24 surface-to-air interceptors for its Patriot air defense batteries from the US, contrasting the delivery with Ukraine’s calculated operational requirement of roughly 350 Patriot interceptors per month.
Highlighting the scale of Russian standoff strikes, Zelensky noted that on Thursday evening alone, Russian forces launched 30 ballistic missiles toward Kyiv.
Despite the munition deficit, Zelensky emphasized that he remains grateful to the US for its strategic partnership in countering Russian aggression.
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