Zelensky: Trump has the levers to force Putin to the negotiating table

The sanctions lever in Washington's hands

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on The Diary Of A CEO podcast that Donald Trump has the tools to force Volodymyr Putin to sit at the negotiating table. However, this is not happening.

“Трамп дуже легко може привести Путіна до столу переговорів, бо йому це потрібно. Те, як він говорить про мене, президент Трамп має так само говорити й про Путіна” (Trump can very easily bring Putin to the negotiating table, because he needs it. The way he talks about me, President Trump should talk about Putin in the same way), the Ukrainian leader emphasised.

According to Zelensky, the American president has a lever for this. “На його столі лежать санкції. Це не він голосував. Конгрес проголосував за сильні санкції. Він може це зробити” (Sanctions are lying on his desk. He did not vote for them. Congress voted for strong sanctions. He can do it), he explained.

Reasons for Washington's silence

Why Trump does not use these levers remains a mystery. “Не знаю чому. Можливо, у них особливі стосунки. Можливо, щось інше. Я не можу цього сказати. Я не знаю всього. Можу лише здогадуватися про якісь економічні угоди тощо” (I don't know why. Maybe they have special relations. Maybe something else. I cannot say that. I don't know everything. I can only guess about some economic deals, etc.), Zelensky admitted.

The host suggested that ahead of the mid-term elections, Trump is more concerned about energy prices in the US than the situation in Ukraine. However, Zelensky refuted the link between Russian supplies and fuel costs in the States.

“Ціни на дизель, даю вам сто відсотків, не залежать від обсягів, які продає Росія. Не залежать. Американці експортують енергоресурси. Експорт американської енергії для американців не заборонений. Експортують американські компанії” (Diesel prices, I give you one hundred percent, do not depend on the volumes that Russia sells. They do not depend. Americans export energy resources. The export of American energy for Americans is not prohibited. American companies are exporting), the Ukrainian president noted.

He added that Trump is unlikely to be able to ban the private sector from exporting, as it is profitable: “це продається, гроші надходять” (it is being sold, money is coming in).

Time is on the side of those who are open

Commenting on possible hidden agreements, Zelensky emphasised: “Усі секрети, усі таємниці завжди виходять на світло. Потрібен лише час. Час точно на боці тих, хто відкритий і готовий до чесного діалогу та боротьби. Це означає, що час буде на нашому боці” (All secrets, all mysteries always come to light. It just takes time. Time is definitely on the side of those who are open and ready for honest dialogue and struggle. This means that time will be on our side).

The role of personal relations between leaders

The host reminded that Trump has repeatedly stated that if he were president, Russia would not have attacked. Zelensky replied that no one can give a definitive answer to this assumption.

“Факт залишається фактом: це сталося за президентства Байдена. Це факт. Факт і те, що за Трампа цього не сталося. Але також факт, що саме Путін обрав момент для повномасштабної окупації” (The fact remains a fact: it happened during Biden's presidency. That is a fact. It is also a fact that it did not happen under Trump. But it is also a fact that it was Putin who chose the moment for full-scale occupation), the Ukrainian president stated.

He acknowledged that Trump has a special relationship with the head of the Kremlin, which persists to this day. Therefore, friendship with Putin could indeed have prevented the full-scale invasion. However, in Zelensky's opinion, changing the US president does not solve the problem as long as Putin holds power in Russia.

“Але варто чітко розуміти: ні я, ні Трамп не будемо вічно обіймати президентську посаду. Так чи інакше, президентство Трампа завершилося б, а Путін усе одно не зміг би відмовитися від своєї головної мети - окупації України. Тому, чесно кажучи, не має значення, хто саме є президентом, доки при владі залишається Путін” (But it is worth understanding clearly: neither I nor Trump will hold the presidential office forever. One way or another, Trump's presidency would have ended, and Putin still would not have been able to give up his main goal - the occupation of Ukraine. Therefore, honestly speaking, it does not matter who exactly is the president, as long as Putin remains in power), Zelensky concluded.