‘I’m Ready’: Zelenskyy Dares Putin To Face Him In Budapest, Urges Trump To Hit Harder On Russia | World News

Brazil: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy laid the groundwork for a new page in the Russia-Ukraine war. He said he was ready to sit across from Vladimir Putin in Budapest. He also called on Donald Trump to increase pressure on the Kremlin.

He seemed determined in an interview with NBC News. He said Trump’s latest deal with Hamas should go further. “Putin is similar to Hamas, but stronger. That’s why there is more pressure,” he said.

Zelenskyy left Washington without the Tomahawk missiles he had hoped for. Long-range weapons can strike deep into Russia. Trump has hinted at this idea before. It remained unclear after his meeting with the Ukrainian President at the White House. “It’s good that President Trump didn’t say ‘no,’ but he didn’t say ‘yes’ for today,” he added.

He said Putin feared a possible US missile transfer. “Putin is afraid that the United States will deliver Tomahawks to us,” Zelenskyy said.

The Russian president had warned that such a move would signal “a new phase of tension”.

Trump announced his plan to meet with Putin in Budapest. This will be the second round of talks on ending the war.

Zelenskyy said he was ready to attend the meeting. “If we truly want a just and lasting peace, we need both sides of this tragedy. How can agreements be made without us?” he said.

When Trump asked if he would attend the summit, Zelenskyy simply replied, “I’m ready.”

Trump’s previous efforts to hold such talks have failed. The Kremlin did not take into account the US proposals. Zelenskyy’s visit comes as Russia intensifies its attacks on Ukraine’s energy network. Strikes caused power outages in many cities. Ukraine, on the other hand, attacked Russian energy fields to strangle Moscow’s economy.

The Ukrainian leader said the battlefield remained open. Describing Russian airstrikes as a sign of weakness, he said: “We are not losing this war and Putin is not winning either.” “So it’s really increasing the airstrikes,” he added.

He warned that Putin wants “an energy disaster this winter.”

Following the meeting, Trump shared with Truth Social that Ukraine and Russia “should stand where they are and make a DEAL.”

Data from open source maps shows that Russia currently owns approximately 44,600 square miles of Ukrainian territory, or about 19% of the country.

Zelenskyy rejected the idea of ​​surrendering land. “If we want to stop this war and move to peace talks urgently and diplomatically, we need to stay where we left off, not give anything additional to Putin,” he said.

He added that peace talks should take place “not under missiles or drones.”

He smiled when asked if Trump could end the war. “God forbid, yes,” he said.