Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia’s narrative around its war with Ukraine was “prevailing” in the U.S. and the Trump administration during an interview on “60 Minutes” Sunday night.
Zelenskyy told correspondent Scott Pelley about his thoughts after reflecting on the explosive Oval Office meeting between him, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance in February. Pelley noted Zelenskyy struggled to make his points to Trump prior to that meeting, particularly after Trump accused Zelenskyy of being a “dictator.”
“I believe, sadly, Russian narratives are prevailing in the U.S.,” Zelenskyy said. “How is it possible to witness our losses and our suffering, to understand what the Russians are doing, and to still believe that they are not the aggressors, that they did not start this war? This speaks to the enormous influence of Russia’s information policy on America, on U.S. politics, and U.S. politicians.”
ZELENSKYY SPEAKS OUT AFTER PUBLIC SPAT WITH TRUMP, VANCE, SAYS DUSTUP ‘BAD FOR BOTH SIDES’
U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as U.S. Vice President JD Vance reacts at the White House in Washington, D.C., Feb. 28, 2025. (REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo)
He said he grew more frustrated as Trump and Vance described both Ukrainian and Russian forces suffering from the war, claiming Vance was “justifying” Russia.
“It’s a shift in tone, a shift in reality, really, yes, a shift in reality. And I don’t want to engage in the altered reality that is being presented to me,” Zelenskyy said. “First and foremost, we did not launch an attack to start the war. It seems to me that the vice president is somehow justifying Putin’s actions. I tried to explain, you can’t look for something in the middle. There is an aggressor, and there is a victim. The Russians are the aggressor, and we are the victim.”
Zelenskyy paused when asked if he still believed the U.S. had Ukraine’s back. Nevertheless, Zelenskyy replied “with pleasure” when asked if he would invite Trump to Ukraine.
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“Come, look, and then let’s move with a plan of how to finish the war. You will understand with whom you have a deal. You will understand what Putin did. And we will not prepare anything. It will not be theater with preparing actors in the streets and the center. We don’t do this. We don’t need it. You can go exactly where you want in any city which has been under attack. What I said to them, just come and understand,” Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy spoke to correspondent Scott Pelley on “60 Minutes.” (Screenshot/CBS)
Though Zelenskyy claimed the Trump administration was echoing Russia’s narrative, he made a similar statement to Trump by suggesting Ukraine’s war with Russia could escalate into a world war.
Trump previously attacked Zelenskyy for “gambling with World War III” while speaking with him at the Oval Office.
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