Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has criticized the United States for seemingly overlooking substantial evidence of Russian support for Iranian operations targeting American military installations in the Middle East, attributing this to a misplaced trust in Vladimir Putin.
In a recent interview on The Rest is Politics podcast with Alastair Campbell, Zelenskyy expressed his attempts to alert the White House about the significant collaboration between Russia and Iran. He revealed that Russian military satellites have been actively monitoring crucial energy infrastructure in Gulf nations and Israel, as well as the locations of US military bases throughout the region. According to Zelenskyy, this intelligence has been shared with the Iranian government to aid its attacks.
“I have publicly stated this. Have we seen any response from the US demanding that Russia cease these activities?” Zelenskyy posed, underscoring his concern. He lamented, “The issue is that they place their trust in Putin, which is unfortunate.”
Zelenskyy also critiqued the previous Trump administration, stating that it did not fully grasp Russia’s strategic intentions. He pointed out that Trump’s negotiators, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, had “spent too much time” engaging with Putin and his inner circle, making multiple trips to Moscow last year without visiting Kyiv. This administration had pressured Ukraine to relinquish its eastern Donbas region, a site of fierce conflict, with Putin indicating that he would consider a ceasefire if Ukraine conceded the territory.
The Ukrainian leader emphasized that he possesses a deeper understanding of Putin’s mindset and military objectives than those in the White House, asserting that Putin would not halt his ambitions after acquiring the Donbas, but would likely target key regional capitals such as Dnipro and Kharkiv next.
“We must acknowledge that some Americans perceive the Donbas as insignificant,” Zelenskyy remarked. “They fail to recognize that Putin is capable of deception and may continue his occupation even after making such territorial gains. The Americans are convinced they can trust Putin.”
Commenting on US Vice President JD Vance’s recent visit to Budapest to support Hungary’s President Viktor Orbán, Zelenskyy labeled the trip as “not helpful,” though he clarified that he would not interfere in the upcoming Hungarian elections, emphasizing that the decision lies with the Hungarian electorate.
Lastly, Zelenskyy urged Europe to enhance its defense capabilities in light of potential US withdrawal from NATO. He advocated for a coalition among the EU, Ukraine, the UK, Turkey, and Norway to form a military alliance robust enough to deter Russian aggression. “Without Ukraine and Turkey, Europe will lack an army comparable to Russia’s. However, with the inclusion of Ukraine, Turkey, Norway, and the UK, we can secure maritime safety across multiple seas,” he stated, expressing confidence that Kyiv would eventually join the EU.
