The support of the US is ‘critically important’ to Ukraine’s war effort but it is hard to understand President Donald Trump’s stance on peace, Vitali Klitschko has told Sky News.
Speaking to Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips, the mayor of Kyiv said it was “life important” to have Washington on his country’s side in its war against Russia.
Asked if he is confident that the US president will support Ukraine’s attempts to hold onto as much of its territory as possible during peace negotiations, Mr Klitschko said: “It’s the United States, it’s very important. It’s critically important. It’s life important to have United States [on the] side of Ukraine.”
The former world heavyweight boxing champion, who was elected as the mayor of Kyiv in 2014, argued that the US could secure wider stability by supporting Ukraine.
Mr Klitschko continued: “If we defend our national interest, if we’re talking about the peace, if we’re talking about democracy, the Trump administration has to be on the side of Ukraine, because Ukraine is the largest country in Europe and the stability in the largest countries in Europe can bring the stability of the whole region.”
The mayor was then asked if he trusts Mr Trump.
After a long pause, he replied: “I try to trust him, but sometimes I don’t understand clearly the messages from President Trump regarding peace in Ukraine. Peace in Ukraine is very important.”
But any peace deal “definitely” should not be a “capitulation agreement between Ukraine and Russia,” he added.
US-brokered peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv are ongoing, and the latest round took place in Geneva earlier this week.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday that “meaningful progress” had been made – but speaking in his nightly address, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was dissatisfied with the talks.
Zelenskyy has said he is displeased with the latest peace talks. Pic: Reuters
“As of today, we cannot say that the result is sufficient,” the Ukrainian president said. “The military discussed certain issues seriously and substantively.
“Sensitive political matters, possible compromises and the necessary meeting of leaders have not yet been sufficiently addressed.”
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Speaking to Reuters news agency on the condition of anonymity, five of Europe’s intelligence chiefs this week said they believe Russia does not want to end the war quickly.
Four claimed Moscow is using the peace talks to push for sanctions relief and business deals, with one stating: “Russia is not seeking a peace agreement. They are seeking their strategic goals, and those have not changed.”
Russia and Ukraine launch overnight strikes
Mr Klitschko’s comments came after Kyiv said on Saturday morning that it had struck an industrial site deep inside Russia.
Ukraine said it hit a Russian plant manufacturing ballistic missiles in the remote Udmurtia region.
Alexander Brechalov, the region’s governor, said there had been “damage and injuries” after a site was attacked overnight with drones.
Residents look at a building hit by a Russian drone strike in Odesa on Saturday. Pic: Reuters
Russia also attacked Ukraine overnight into Saturday, launching 120 drones and one ballistic missile, Ukraine’s air force said.
Oleh Kiper, the head of the Odesa region, said drones had damaged civilian and energy infrastructure facilities, including a secondary school and an energy company’s warehouses.
Two people were injured, he said in a statement on Telegram.
Watch the full interview with Vitali Klitschko on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips at 8.30am.
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