Zelenskyy on Trump's Ukraine War Role

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed his views on U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's potential policy approach to the Russia-Ukraine war, describing Trump as 'strong and unpredictable' and hoping his unpredictability will be directed towards Russia. Zelenskyy believes these qualities could be decisive in ending the 'hot' stage of the war quickly, though he acknowledges the war cannot end in one day as Trump claimed. There is concern about whether the United States will continue its crucial military support for Ukraine under Trump's administration. Zelenskyy has met with Trump multiple times to discuss these issues. The war is nearing its fourth year, with Russia controlling about one-fifth of Ukraine and making slow advances. Ukraine is short-handed and needs continued Western support. Zelenskyy also mentioned Trump's favorable response to French President Emmanuel Macron's suggestion of deploying Western peacekeepers in Ukraine, though specific country commitments are unclear. Ukraine is determined to join NATO, but membership is contingent on the war's end. Zelenskyy highlighted Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Russia — Kursk Oblast as a 'strong trump card' for future peace negotiations, despite its limited impact on the war's dynamic.