Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Russia's Vladimir Putin intends to exploit President Donald Trump as a "prop" for his own geopolitical ambitions.
Zelensky made the comment during his speech at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, in which he said he was not initially happy with the U.S. president's phone call with Putin.
Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment via email outside of normal working hours.
Why It Matters
Kyiv has walked a diplomatic tightrope as it faces the possibility that a Trump administration would mean less military support and the prospect that the U.S. president's pledge for a swift resolution to the war could play into Putin's hands.
Zelensky's comments suggest he thinks Putin could exploit Trump, which is a shift in Kyiv's tone amid fears that a deal could be done behind its back.
What to Know
In his speech on Saturday, Zelensky said that Putin wanted one-on-one talks with the U.S. and will try to get Trump to stand on Red Square for the May 9 celebrations marking Moscow's contribution to the defeat of Nazism.
But Trump would not be considered "a respected leader" but as "a prop in his own performance," Zelensky said. The Ukrainian leader also said it would be "dangerous" if the U.S. and Russian presidents met before he had a chance to talk to Trump.
On Friday, Vice President JD Vance said Washington sought to secure a "lasting" peace as he held a first meeting with Zelensky to discuss Donald Trump's push for a deal with Moscow. Kyiv has been trying to keep Washington on its side after Trump stunned allies by announcing peace efforts with Putin.
Zelensky also said he would will not remove Ukrainian membership in NATO from the negotiating table and reiterated that no deal for peace would be done without Kyiv's involvement.
On Saturday, Zelensky also said that the time had come for a Europe-wide army that would require a strong Ukrainian presence given Kyiv's experience of fighting Russia.
He said that the U.S. may refuse to cooperate with Europe "on issues that threaten it," and as such "the time has come" for an "armed forces of Europe."
Trump has criticized European NATO members for not spending enough on defense and suggested Washington would not defend Europe in case of Russian aggression.
What People Are Saying
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said: "Putin wants one on one talks with America...next Putin will try to get the U.S. president standing on Red Square on May 9 this year, not as a respected leader but as a prop in his own performance. We don't need that. We need real success. We need real peace."
Vice President JD Vance on Friday: "We want to achieve a durable, lasting peace, not the kind of peace that's going to have Eastern Europe in conflict just a couple years down the road."
What happens next
Talks between the Ukrainian and American delegations included a potential minerals agreement between Washington and Kyiv, which could involve access to Ukraine's mineral reserves for continued U.S. support.
Meanwhile, Vance expressed confidence that Trump can broker an end to the war posting on X that he is "the ultimate deal maker and will bring peace to the region."
Update 02/15/25, 7.30 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with further comment.
About the writer
Brendan Cole is a Newsweek Senior News Reporter based in London, UK. His focus is Russia and Ukraine, in particular ... Read more