Former British ambassador to Ukraine Simon Smith said inan interview with Sky News that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was trapped during his meeting with Donald Trump at the White House.
“I have never seen anything like this. Zelenskyy has undergone many trials and has shown heroic resilience. But to subject him to such psychological pressure in the White House is simply amazing,” the diplomat said.
According to Smith, Zelenskyy looked lonely during the meeting, and representatives of the US administration literally attacked him. He suggested that Trump’s behaviour could be due to old grievances: that the Ukrainian leader did not help him during his first term in office.
Zelenskyy is trapped: what happened in the White House?
Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance accused Zelenskyy of disrespect and ingratitude, saying that the US could withdraw support for Ukraine if Kyiv does not agree to a peace deal.
Zelenskyy responded by saying that Vladimir Putin cannot be trusted, as the Kremlin has repeatedly broken its promises. He urged Washington not to compromise with the dictator.
Due to the conflict, the press conference between Trump and Zelenskyy was cancelled, and an agreement on access to Ukrainian minerals for US companies was never signed.
“Trump is putting pressure on Ukraine and NATO allies, but he has never put similar pressure on Putin. This raises serious concerns about the direction the US is heading,” Smith said.
