Vitali Klitschko has urged Donald Trump “to be on the side of Ukraine” during peace talks with Russia – but the mayor of Kyiv admitted to Sky News he sometimes finds the president’s messaging hard to understand.
Speaking to Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips, the former world heavyweight boxing champion said it was “critically important” to have Washington on his country’s side in its battle against Russia.
Asked if he is confident the US president will support Ukraine‘s attempts to hold as much of its territory as possible during peace negotiations, Mr Klitschko said: “It’s the United States, it’s very important. It’s critically important.”
He argued the US could secure wider stability by supporting Kyiv, adding: “If we defend our national interest, if we’re talking about the peace, if we’re talking about democracy, the Trump administration has to be on the side of Ukraine.
“Ukraine is the largest country in Europe and the stability in the largest countries in Europe can bring the stability of the whole region.”
But asked if he trusts Mr Trump, Mr Klitschko – who has been mayor of the capital since 2014 – had to take a lengthy pause before saying: “I try to trust him, but sometimes I don’t understand clearly the messages from President Trump regarding peace in Ukraine. Peace in Ukraine is very important.”
The state of peace talks
US-brokered peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv are ongoing, and the latest round took place in Geneva earlier this week.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday that “meaningful progress” had been made – but speaking in his nightly address, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was dissatisfied with the talks.
“As of today, we cannot say that the result is sufficient,” the Ukrainian president said. “The military discussed certain issues seriously and substantively.
“Sensitive political matters, possible compromises and the necessary meeting of leaders have not yet been sufficiently addressed.”
Mr Klitschko told Sky News any peace deal should not be a “capitulation agreement”.
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Speaking to Reuters news agency on the condition of anonymity, five of Europe’s intelligence chiefs this week said they believe Russia does not want to end the war quickly.
Four claimed Moscow is using the peace talks to push for sanctions relief and business deals, with one stating: “Russia is not seeking a peace agreement. They are seeking their strategic goals, and those have not changed.”
Russia and Ukraine launch overnight strikes
Mr Klitschko’s comments came after Kyiv said on Saturday morning that it had struck an industrial site deep inside Russia.
Ukraine said it hit a Russian plant manufacturing ballistic missiles in the remote Udmurtia region.
Alexander Brechalov, the region’s governor, said there had been “damage and injuries” after a site was attacked overnight with drones.
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Russia also attacked Ukraine overnight into Saturday, launching 120 drones and one ballistic missile, Ukraine’s air force said.
Oleh Kiper, the head of the Odesa region, said drones had damaged civilian and energy infrastructure facilities, including a secondary school and an energy company’s warehouses.
Two people were injured, he said in a statement on Telegram.
Watch the full interview with Vitali Klitschko on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips at 8.30am.
