A deliberate information convention after talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump’s Ukraine envoy was canceled Thursday as political tensions deepened between the 2 international locations over learn how to finish the virtually three-year struggle with Russia.
The format of the press occasion, which was to incorporate feedback to the media by Zelenskyy and retired U.S. Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, was modified on the final minute in order that the 2 didn’t ship statements or discipline questions from journalists. The change was requested by the U.S. facet, Ukrainian presidential spokesman Serhii Nikiforov mentioned.
Kellogg’s journey to Kyiv coincided with current feuding between Trump and Zelenskyy that has bruised their private relations and solid additional doubt on the way forward for U.S. assist for Ukraine’s struggle effort.
Nikiforov gave no different purpose apart from that the cancellation was in accordance with U.S. needs.
The U.S. delegation made no rapid remark. The White Home didn’t instantly reply to questions on why the information convention was referred to as off.
When the assembly started, photographers and video journalists had been allowed right into a room the place the 2 males shook arms earlier than sitting throughout from one another at a desk on the presidential workplace in Kyiv.
The 2 males had been due to discuss Trump’s efforts to finish the struggle. Zelenskyy had beforehand mentioned he regarded ahead to explaining what was occurring in Ukraine and displaying it to Kellogg.
Kellogg, one of many architects of a staunchly conservative coverage e book laying out an “America First” nationwide safety agenda, has lengthy been Trump’s high adviser on protection points.
Zelenskyy and Trump have traded rebukes in current days.
The spat erupted after Russia and the U.S. agreed Tuesday to begin working towards ending the struggle in Ukraine and enhancing their diplomatic and financial ties. With that, Trump abruptly reversed the three-year U.S. coverage of isolating Russia.
Zelenskyy was sad {that a} U.S. staff opened the talks with out inviting him or European governments which have backed Kyiv.
When Trump claimed Zelenskyy was deeply unpopular in Ukraine, the president mentioned Trump was dwelling in a Russian-made “disinformation space,” suggesting he had been duped by Putin.
However Zelenskyy “retains a fairly high level of public trust” — about 57 % — in line with a report launched Wednesday by the Kyiv Worldwide Institute of Sociology.
Trump accused Zelenskyy of being “A Dictator without Elections!!” As a result of struggle, Ukraine did delay elections that had been scheduled for April 2024.
Trump additionally steered that Ukraine was guilty for the struggle.
Russia’s military crossed the border on Feb. 24, 2022, in an all-out invasion that Putin sought to justify by falsely saying it was wanted to guard Russian-speaking civilians in jap Ukraine and forestall the nation from becoming a member of NATO.
On Wednesday, Trump warned Zelenskyy that he “better move fast” to barter an finish to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or threat not having a nation to guide.
European leaders additionally commented on the feud, throwing their assist behind Zelenskyy.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz whose nation has been Kyiv’s second-biggest weapons provider after the U.S., mentioned it was “wrong and dangerous” to disclaim Zelenskyy’s democratic legitimacy.
Ukraine has been defending itself for practically three years towards a cruel struggle of aggression — day after day,” Scholz instructed information outlet Der Spiegel.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke to Zelenskyy on Wednesday and expressed assist for him “as Ukraine’s democratically elected chief,” Starmer’s workplace mentioned, including that it was “perfectly reasonable” to postpone elections throughout wartime.
Russian officers, in the meantime, are basking in Washington’s consideration and providing phrases of assist for Trump’s stance.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned “the rhetoric of Zelenskyy and many representatives of the Kyiv regime in general leaves much to be desired” — a veiled reference to Ukrainian criticism of Putin.
“Representatives of the Ukrainian regime, especially in recent months, often allow themselves to make statements about the heads of other states that are completely unacceptable,” Peskov mentioned in a convention name with reporters.
Amid the diplomatic clamor, Ukrainian civilians proceed to endure Russian strikes. Russia fired 161 Shahed and decoy drones and as much as 14 missiles of assorted sorts at Ukraine in a single day from Wednesday to Thursday, in line with navy authorities.
A Russian glide bomb struck an condominium block within the southern metropolis of Kherson on Wednesday night time, killing one particular person and wounding six, together with 14-year-old twins, authorities mentioned.
The southern port metropolis of Odesa additionally got here underneath a Russian drone assault for the second consecutive night time, leaving nearly 50,000 houses with out electrical energy in freezing winter temperatures, officers mentioned.
