US vice-presidential candidate's plans for Ukraine would harm its territorial integrity: Zelenskyy

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the plans of the Republican vice-presidential candidate in the US for Ukraine would harm its territorial integrity.

In an interview with The New Yorker magazine about the Russia-Ukraine war, Zelenskyy criticized Ohio Senator JD Vance, presidential nominee Donald Trump's running mate.

Zelenskyy responded to Vance's remarks in which he criticized US aid to Ukraine and suggested in an interview that Ukraine would have to cede some of its territory to Russia and that ending the war would be in America's best interest.

Describing Vance as "radical," Zelenskyy noted that his plans to end the war effectively mean Ukraine must "give up its land."

He also rejected the notion that Ukraine should make sacrifices and emphasized that ending the war to its detriment is unacceptable.

While he did not consider Vance's ideas to be an "official" stance, Zelenskyy said implementing them would be "a terrible idea."

"For us, these are dangerous signals, coming as they do from a potential vice-president. I should say that it hasn’t been like this with Trump. He and I talked on the phone, and his message was as positive as it could be, from my point of view. 'I understand,' 'I will lend support,' and so on."

Zelenskyy warned that those sharing Vance's views of "negotiating" over Ukrainian territory would also damage US interests in other regions, citing potential consequences for the Middle East, Taiwan, and US-China relations.

He added that he does not "take Vance’s words seriously" but believes such plans could push the US toward a global conflict.