Zelensky wants to ‘work directly’ with Trump on ending Ukraine’s war with Russia

(CNN) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he wants to work “directly” with US President-elect Donald Trump and is open to his ideas, highlighting Kyiv’s eagerness to keep its most important ally onside as Russia intensifies its attacks.

“Of course we will work with Trump. I want to work with him directly,” Zelensky said in an interview with Sky News released Friday, adding that he did not want people around Trump to “destroy” their communication. “I want to share with him ideas and I want to hear from him his ideas,” he added.

The United States is the single largest provider of military assistance to Ukraine and Kyiv is keenly aware that it needs to stay on Trump’s good side to secure future support. According to the US Department of State, the government has contributed $64.1 billion to Ukraine’s war effort since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Zelensky characterized his conversations with Trump during a visit to New York in September as “warm, good, constructive.” He said the discussions were an “important first step,” but that more detailed talks would be needed “until we will have a real plan where Ukraine is strong.”

Zelensky noted that his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, would travel to the US as soon as possible for meetings, including with Trump’s pick to be special envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg.

Kellogg favors a ceasefire and peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv, which would include security guarantees for Ukraine to protect against future Russian invasions.

Zelensky told Sky News that Russian President Vladimir Putin was not ready to negotiate, however. “He doesn’t want to stop the war,” he said.

The Ukrainian leader added that he would like Trump to succeed and for the US to “play one of the most crucial parts” in ending the war.

Prior to winning the election, Trump repeatedly claimed that the Russia-Ukraine war would not have started if he had been president. He also vowed to end the war, sometimes even claiming he would stop the years-long conflict before taking office. In July, he said he could settle the conflict in one day, without offering further details.

NATO membership

Zelensky’s comments come as the scale and severity of the conflict escalates, as Moscow makes increasing use of non-nuclear ballistic missiles. More than one million Ukrainian households were left without power Thursday following a widespread attack on critical energy infrastructure.

On Friday, Putin threatened to strike Ukraine again. He also praised Trump, describing him as an “intelligent and experienced” politician capable of finding “solutions.”

In the interview with Sky News, Zelensky stressed that Ukraine’s US and European allies needed to better equip a greater number of its soldiers and provide more fighter jets. The country’s eastern front, where Moscow is fast advancing, “depends on the number of equipped brigades” and air defense, he added.

He also addressed widely reported calls by US officials to drop Ukraine’s minimum conscription age from 25 to 18 to address a critical shortage of manpower. “I want to ask our partners to do their part of the job and we will do our part of the job,” he said.

Asked by Sky News whether Ukraine would consider ceding some territory to Russia in exchange for NATO membership, Zelensky said that such a solution could in theory help to end the war but that it would run counter to Ukraine’s constitution.

“The invitation (to join NATO) must be given to Ukraine within its internationally recognized border. You can’t give an invitation to just one part of the country… You have no right to recognize the occupied territory as territory of Russia,” he said.

Zelensky has long called for Ukraine’s unconditional accession to NATO, but it is highly unlikely that the country will be admitted to the military alliance before the war ends. During the interview, Zelensky reiterated his position that NATO membership was currently the only path to victory.

He admitted that he was afraid Ukraine might lose the war, and particularly the independence of its people. “If we will be alone, we will lose,” he said.

Maria Kostenko contributed to this report.

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