Trump, Putin meeting gave Russian leader 'what he wanted’: Zelenskyy

Ukrainian president criticizes exclusion from talks, says Putin aims to 'show everybody video and images that he is there'

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized US President Donald Trump's Alaska summit last month with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying that it handed the Russian leader "what he wanted."

"I think that President Trump gave Putin what he wanted," Zelenskyy said in an ABC television interview which aired Sunday. "He had he wanted ... very much to meet with President Trump."

He expressed disappointment at being excluded from the Aug. 15 meeting, adding: "Putin doesn't want to meet with me, but he wants very much to meet with the president of the United States, to show everybody video and images that he is there."

"I think ... it's a pity that Ukraine was not there," said Zelenskyy.

Following the summit, Trump this week set a two-week deadline for Putin and Zelenskyy to meet for peace negotiations.

"My relationship with all of them is very good. We're going to find out how good it is over the next week or two," Trump said.

Kaynak: