Zelensky Warns: Trump’s Claim to End Russia-Ukraine War in 24 Hours Is ‘Very Dangerous’

In a recent interview with Britain’s Channel Four News, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed serious concerns about Donald Trump’s claim that he could resolve the Russia-Ukraine war in just one day if re-elected as US President. Zelensky labeled Trump’s assertion as “very dangerous,” mainly because Trump has not provided any details on his proposed solution or its impact on Ukraine.

Zelensky acknowledged the possibility that Trump’s statement might be mere political posturing. However, he expressed anxiety about the prospect of Trump making unilateral decisions that might not align with Ukraine’s interests, noting that such a scenario is quite distressing.

This concern comes after Trump’s bold statement to CNN in May last year, where he claimed that he could negotiate an end to the war within 24 hours by meeting with both Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump suggested that he could leverage their respective strengths and weaknesses to quickly broker peace.

Historically, Zelensky has avoided directly criticizing Trump, cautious of deepening the divide between Democrats and Republicans who support Trump. This division has implications for US financial aid to Ukraine.

At the Davos summit, when questioned about Trump’s possible response to a Russian invasion threatening NATO members, Zelensky rhetorically questioned what Trump would do, especially if US support for Ukraine was withdrawn.

There’s a widespread belief that Putin would favor a Trump victory in the upcoming elections, possibly allowing Russia to maintain its territorial conquests in Ukraine and claim victory.

Conversely, Zelensky has consistently maintained that peace cannot be achieved unless Russian forces withdraw entirely from territories seized from Ukraine since 2014, including Crimea. This stance, however, has been weakened by the recent setbacks in Ukraine’s counteroffensive.

The Biden administration and NATO have assured that Ukraine will not be pressured into any agreement with Russia, emphasizing that any decision involving Ukraine must involve the country directly.

In a notable moment during the interview, Zelensky directly invited Trump to Ukraine, suggesting that if Trump indeed has a viable solution to end the war within 24 hours, his visit to Kyiv would be justified. Zelensky expressed openness to hearing any concrete ideas Trump might have to offer.