Kyiv:Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that Donald Trump has the potential to "very easily" bring Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table. Zelenskyy made this statement during an interview with British podcaster Steven Bartlett, emphasizing the need for Trump to direct his rhetoric towards Putin in the same manner he has addressed Zelenskyy.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, Trump has recently accused Zelenskyy of being an obstacle to peace in Ukraine and urged him to negotiate with Putin or appoint a representative to do so. Trump also criticized Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, suggesting these attacks could exacerbate global fuel shortages impacting American farmers and ranchers.

Zelenskyy noted that the United States had already approved the latest sanctions against Russia, which Trump could leverage if he chose. He speculated that Trump's "special relationship" with Putin might be the reason behind his reluctance to apply these measures. Zelenskyy also highlighted insufficient Russian diesel supplies under a recent agreement with Washington, asserting that Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy targets were retaliatory measures against Moscow.

Zelenskyy revealed that he requested Trump to broker an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, but his appeal was unsuccessful. He criticized Trump for blaming him instead of Putin for rising diesel prices in the United States, calling it an unfair change of context. Zelenskyy further accused Trump of diverting attention from issues in the Middle East, where transit through the Strait of Hormuz has been severely reduced since the onset of the Iran war in late February, affecting global oil prices.