Donald Trump said russia has "been fine on Ukraine" and that he is ready to meet putin and Xi, even without Zelensky. Ukraine's president meanwhile addressed US lawmakers.
US President Donald Trump said on 19 October that russia has "been fine on Ukraine" and "hasn't been doing much". The same day a russian drone killed six people in a park in Kharkiv Oblast, and the night before more than a dozen ballistic missiles were fired at Kyiv, the Kyiv Independent reports. Volunteers Support Ukraine presents the remarks as part of the political context in which people affected by the war are living.
According to the outlet, Trump did not address the overnight attacks and instead praised putin's restraint on Ukraine and Iran. He also said russia has been "very well-behaved on Iran", although moscow is reportedly aiding Iran in its war with the US. Of Zelensky, Trump said: "We've given a lot to Ukraine. They've given nothing to us," and that it is time for someone else to negotiate on Ukraine's behalf.
Ukrinform reports that Trump said he is ready to meet putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to discuss ending the war, even if Zelensky is not there: "anything I can do to end the war, whether somebody's there or not." The trilateral summit was reportedly proposed by putin in a call on 9 October; it could be held in Shenzhen on the sidelines of the APEC summit on 18–19 November. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that such discussions had taken place.
Trump aimed another remark at Zelensky, saying he "doesn't know what he's talking about" in criticising the waiver of new sanctions on russia. On 19 October, Zelensky addressed members of the US Congress by video link, and after the park strike he urged partners not to ease sanctions on russia.
Words do not change the facts: the strikes continue and negotiations remain difficult. Volunteers Support Ukraine keeps helping people affected by the war in whatever way its available resources allow.
