Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday warned of the risk of World War III as he urged President Donald Trump to visit Ukraine before making any decisions about peace negotiations aimed at ending the three-year war.
Why It Matters
Tensions continue to mount between Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S. as Trump pushes to fulfil his election campaign pledge to quickly resolve the conflict, which began with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Zelensky has repeatedly warned that Putin won’t stop at Ukraine. He said on Sunday his Russian counterpart’s ambitions extend beyond Ukraine, and warned that an attack on NATO member states could trigger a global war.
What To Know
The global collective security is at stake, Zelensky told CBS News in remarks published on Sunday.
“If we do not stand firm, [Putin] will advance further,” Zelensky said.
“It is not just idle speculation; the threat is real. Putin’s ultimate goal is to revive the Russian empire and reclaim territories currently under NATO protection. Considering all of this, I believe it could escalate into a world war.”
The Ukrainian president added: “There won’t be a safe place, there won’t be a safe place for [anyone].”
Zelensky also urged Trump to visit Ukraine so he could “understand what’s going on here.”
“We respect your position,” he said, adding: “But, please, before any kind of decisions, any kind of plans for negotiations, come to see the people, civilians, warriors, hospitals, churches, children destroyed or dead.”
“Come, look, and then let’s move with a plan on how to finish the war. You will understand with whom you have a deal. You will understand what Putin did,” Zelensky added.
Trump’s pledge to broker peace talks aimed at ending the Ukraine war has faced significant hurdles, with both Ukraine and Russia struggling to reach mutually acceptable terms.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump said on Truth Social on Friday: “Russia has to get moving. Too many people [are] DYING, thousands a week, in a terrible and senseless war—A war that should have never happened, and wouldn’t have happened, if I were President!!!”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told propagandist Pavel Zarubin on Sunday of ongoing talks between Moscow and Washington on potentially ending the war: “Everything is going very well. But, of course, it is impossible to expect any instant result.”
What Happens Next
On Sunday, Kremlin spokesperson Peskov told Zarubin that a meeting between Putin and Trump is being planned.
Read the full article here
