Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused US envoy Steve Witkoff of “disseminating Russian narratives,” after the US diplomat make controversial comments on the busy parts of Ukraine.
At a news conference on Thursday (17), Zelensky accused Witkoff of adopting the “strategy on the Russian side.”
“I find it very dangerous because he is consciously or unconsciously, I don’t know, spreading Russian narratives. Anyway, it doesn’t help,” he said.
The American praised his recent conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin-his third meeting with Kremlin leader-in an interview with Fox News on Monday (14), describing the meeting as “convincing.”
Witkoff told Fox News that any peace agreement in Ukraine will focus on the “so-called five territories,” referring to the Ukrainian Peninsula attached by Russia in 2014, and the four Ukrainian continental regions occupied by Russia since the large-scale invasion of 2022-Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizehzia and Kherson.
These four regions were illegally attached during the invasion and Kiev vehemently opposes to deliver them.
Since then, Kremlin has made referendums on the adhesion to Russia in these regions, which were widely discarded as a scam by the international community.
THE CNN He had already reported that the vote in the regions had been held under the target of weapons, with a resident stating that the results were predictable.
The American comments on Monday generated accusations that he was trying to imitate the Moscow line.
Oleksandr Merezhko, a member of the Ukrainian Parliament, told the CNN On Tuesday (15) that Witkoff “with all due respect … may be inadvertently trying to promote pro-Russian narratives.”
This is not the first time that Trump’s envoy has been accused of echoing Kremlin’s speeches.
Last month, in a long interview with podcast host Tucker Carlson, Witkoff praised a “kind” putin and rejected longstanding concerns across Europe that the Russian leader would try to invade more territories if he had the opportunity.
He also stated that referendums in the four continental regions of Ukraine attached by Russia showed that “the overwhelming majority of the population indicated that he wants to be under Russian rule.”
Understand the conflict between Russia and Ukraine
The conflict in Ukraine, which began with the large -scale Russian invasion in February 2022, continues to be marked by violence and civilian deaths.
Recently, two Russian ballistic missiles hit Sumy in northern Ukraine, killing 34 people and hurting 117. This was the deadliest attack in Ukraine this year.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vehemently condemned the offensive and made a new appeal for more actions against Moscow. He also asked US President Donald Trump to visit Ukraine.
Zelensky expressed doubts about the US continuous support in the long run, although the US is a strategic partner.
The two leaders had a tense meeting at the Oval Hall this year, marked by a barbst exchange against the press.
The Ukrainian President asked the US to participate in an international peace effort, helping to protect Ukrainian airspace.
Russia denies target civilians, but thousands have been killed and injured since the beginning of the invasion.
Russians currently control about 20% of the Ukrainian territory in the east and south.
Ukraine is sharing information on alleged war crimes with international partners, and the International Criminal Court investigates the cases.
Under the Trump administration, the US surveyed conversations with Russian and Ukrainian representatives in an attempt to end the offensive.
Although ceasefire agreements have been announced, both parties continue to exchange attacks.
Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin to discuss a peace agreement, but recent attacks have been showing a weakness of peace efforts and the continuity of conflict.
This content was originally published in Zelensky accuses Trump’s sent to adopt “Russian side strategy” on CNN Brazil.
Source: CNN Brasil
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