In an interview published on Thursday, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy acknowledged that a victory for Donald Trump in the upcoming U.S. election in November would pose challenges for Ukraine, but emphasized that Ukrainians were prepared. Trump’s selection of Senator J.D. Vance as his running mate has highlighted potential shifts in Washington’s stance on Ukraine, currently embroiled in a 28-month conflict with Russia. Vance has previously stated in an interview, “I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine one way or the other.”
Speaking to the BBC at the European Political Community meeting in London, Zelenskiy noted Vance’s comment but added, “Maybe he really doesn’t care, but we have to work with the United States.” He described the prospect of a Trump presidency as “hard work, but we are hard workers.” Under Joe Biden’s administration, Ukraine has received weapons and supplies throughout the conflict, although internal disputes in the U.S. Congress caused temporary halts.
Also Read: Sea Drone Incident Concludes at Russia’s Crucial Black Sea Port
During his campaign, Trump has claimed that he would end the conflict even before taking office by negotiating a deal, and argued that the conflict would not have occurred if he had been in office when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Zelenskiy also expressed gratitude for commitments from Ukraine’s partners to provide F-16 fighter jets, expected to arrive by summer, though they had not yet been delivered.
“It’s been 18 months and the planes have not reached us,” Zelenskiy told the BBC. He emphasized that the jets are crucial for countering Russia’s aerial superiority and “unblocking the skies.” Zelenskiy expressed confidence in Britain’s continued support for Ukraine and hoped that new Prime Minister Keir Starmer would play a significant role in international politics, world security, and the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Ukraine, he concluded, “doesn’t just need a new page, we need power to turn this leaf.”
