Selensky warns:

“Putin is not preparing for talks …”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi is hoping for further aid from Washington and is offering important raw materials in return.(Bild: APA/AP)

US President Donald Trump recently increased the pressure on both sides to end the bloodshed in Ukraine. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi is skeptical as to whether Moscow is even interested in serious talks.

Instead, Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin is preparing for a continuation of the war by arming himself. "We now know that the Russians are setting up new divisions and developing new military production facilities," says Selensky. Russian cooperation with North Korea is being expanded. Russia is spreading modern war technologies, including drones.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that he would be interested in a personal meeting with US President Donald Trump. However, preparations are probably not yet very advanced.(Bild: APA/AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi is hoping for further aid from Washington and is offering important raw materials in return.(Bild: APA/AP)

Selenskyj: "War not only against us"
"And that means one simple thing: Putin is not preparing for negotiations, not for peace, but for the continuation of the war, and not just against us," said Zelenskyi in a video message on Saturday evening. 

"All partners must know about this and see it." In Europe, every country must strengthen its defense. The Ukrainian head of state predicted that the goal of spending five percent of economic output on this would "not disappear from the agenda". 

It remained unclear what information Zelensky's warnings were based on. Ukraine was prepared to share its findings, he noted in this context. 

Trump: meeting with Zelensky possible next week
On Friday, Trump held out the prospect of a meeting with Zelensky soon. "I will probably meet with President Zelensky next week," said the US head of state at the White House during a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Regarding the location of a possible meeting, Trump said that it could be Washington. "I'm not traveling there," said the Republican, presumably with Kiev in mind. 

Trump went on to say that he would "probably" also speak to Putin. "I want this war to end for one reason above all: So many people are being killed," Trump said about the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.