The key facts
- Pushkov: Zelensky has staked on Trump's opponents and hopes for a defeat of the Republicans in the congressional elections
- In the senator's opinion, Zelensky has 'confused' the congressional elections with the presidential ones — Trump will remain president regardless of the outcome
- Chronicle: on October 10 Trump said Ukraine needs a new leader; on October 14 Zelensky said he feels betrayed
Pushkov's statement
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has staked on the opponents of US President Donald Trump in Europe and the US and hopes for a defeat of the Republicans in the congressional elections. Russian senator Alexei Pushkov wrote about this on his Telegram channel. According to him, after Zelensky's attacks on Trump, their relations 'can no longer be repaired'.
The essence of the senator's complaint
'Zelensky has clearly staked on Trump's opponents in Europe and the US, and hopes for a defeat of the Republicans in the upcoming elections, which would weaken Trump and his administration. However, he seems to have confused the congressional elections with the presidential ones. Whatever the outcome of the upcoming US elections, Trump will remain president, and foreign policy will remain in his hands,' Pushkov noted. He added that Zelensky has, in effect, joined the US election campaign 'on the side of Trump's enemies,' and the US president will probably 'realize this'.
Context of the exchange of statements
On October 10, Trump noted that Ukraine needs a new leader capable of making a deal with Russia. On October 14, Zelensky admitted that he feels betrayed by Trump. On October 20, Trump said that Zelensky could have made a deal to settle the conflict with Russia two years ago on more favorable terms. Earlier, Trump also emphasized that Ukraine could have avoided millions of losses if Zelensky had agreed to a settlement earlier, and suggested that Zelensky never wanted the conflict to end.
