Zelenskyy says Trump contacting Putin first in call ‘not very pleasant’

ISTANBUL

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday described US President Donald Trump’s decision to contact his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, first with a telephone call late Wednesday as “not very pleasant.”

“We've already had three conversations with President Trump, so I don't take this call as a priority (for Trump), that he spoke to Russia first. Although it's really not very pleasant in any case,” Zelenskyy told reporters during a visit to the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant.

“As for the conversation, he knows my thoughts. I really believe that Ukraine is the priority first and foremost, there is a war against us,” said Zelenskyy.

Expressing that Ukraine will not accept peace talks without Kyiv’s participation, Zelenskyy said he conveyed that “very clearly” to his country’s partners.

He denied that elections in Ukraine were discussed in his call with Trump, and insisted that Europe should also be involved in peace negotiations.

“In Europe, there is a serious concern that they still do not see signals from the US that they have a place at the table. That is, everyone understands that America, Ukraine and Russia can have such a format for negotiations, but where is Europe?” he said.

Zelenskyy added it is impossible to predict how negotiations will proceed, but they “must be strong."

“We need allies and fair partners at a time when we will end the hot stage of this war,” he said.

Putin and Trump held their first phone conversation on Wednesday since the US president took office last month. They discussed key global and bilateral issues, according to statements from the Kremlin and the White House.

Trump then called Zelenskyy.