Ukraine\u2019s President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that his US counterpart Donald Trump meeting Russian leader Vladimir Putin before him would be \u201cdangerous,\u201d as he admitted he had no guarantees from Trump that he would be first in line in peace talks. <\/p>\n
Zelensky spoke in a week when a phone call between Putin and Trump raised fears in Kyiv that it was being frozen out of negotiations, with the White House also downplaying the prospects of Ukraine joining NATO. <\/p>\n
In an exchange which prompted laughter from the crowd, Zelensky also admitted to having told Trump that Putin is afraid of him. <\/p>\n
\u201cI told Trump that Putin is afraid of him and he heard me. And now Putin knows,\u201d Zelensky said wryly. <\/p>\n
The Ukrainian president added that Putin appears to be the biggest influence on NATO and reiterated that peace talks on ending the conflict could not go ahead without Kyiv\u2019s involvement. <\/p>\n
\u201cRight now, the most influential member of NATO seems to be Putin \u2013 because his whims have the power to block NATO decisions,\u201d Zelensky said. <\/p>\n
\u201cUkraine will never accept deals made behind our backs without our involvement. And the same rule should apply to all of Europe,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n
\u201cNo decisions about Ukraine without Ukraine. No decisions about Europe without Europe. Europe must have a seat at the table when decisions about Europe are being made,\u201d Zelensky continued. <\/p>\n
Zelensky warned the days of America\u2019s guaranteed support for Europe are over. <\/p>\n
\u201cA few days ago, President Trump told me about his conversation with Putin. Not once did he mention that America needs Europe at that table. That says a lot,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe old days are over \u2013 when America supported Europe just because it always had,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n
The Ukrainian leader spoke the day after US Vice President JD Vance eviscerated America\u2019s European allies at the security conference, in a speech that barely touched on the issue of Ukraine and a potential settlement of Russia. <\/p>\n
\u201cYesterday here in Munich, the US vice president made it clear \u2013 decades of the old relationship between Europe and America are ending. From now on, things will be different, and Europe needs to adjust to that,\u201d Zelensky said. <\/p>\n
The Ukrainian president called for a united European army, as he acknowledged that the US may not continue to provide military support as it once did. <\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s be honest \u2013 now we can\u2019t rule out the possibility that America might say \u2018No\u2019 to Europe on issues that threaten it. Many leaders have talked about Europe that needs its own military \u2013 an Army of Europe,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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