Russian President Vladimir Putin “looks emboldened” after talks yesterday with US President Donald Trump, a Ukrainian MP has told Sky News.
Trump said that he and Putin had agreed it was time to “start negotiations immediately” to end the war. He spoke separately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Asked whether he trusted Trump, Oleksiy Goncharenko said he didn’t “have any other option than to trust Donald Trump on this and I hope that isn’t a mistake”.
The Ukrainian MP said he knew Trump would pursue the best interests of the United States, but that it would not be in its interests to embolden Putin.
“Unfortunately after yesterday’s conversation, Putin looks emboldened,” he said.
He added that Trump would need to show strength to Putin who he described as “a criminal and tyrant”.
“That is something we should be keeping in mind all the time and I hope President Trump has it in mind,” he said.
Yesterday, US defence secretary Pete Hegseth said it was “unrealistic” for Ukraine to expect to return to its 2014 borders or join the NATO alliance as part of any agreement on ending the war, and that no US troops would join any security force in Ukraine.
Goncharenko said he was “worried” by the remarks, adding “many people in Ukraine are worried”.
“Everybody should remember again what is at stake,” he said.