Zelensky says he doesn’t need ‘primitive’ ideas from Trump on Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a Tuesday interview that he does not need “primitive” ideas from former President Trump on ways to resolve the war with Russia.

In an interview with Axel Springer media outlets, including Politico, Zelensky said he was open to hearing Trump’s proposals for the war, but, he said, “If the deal is that we just give up our territories, and that’s the idea behind it, then it’s a very primitive idea.”

“I need very strong arguments. I don’t need a fantastic idea. I need a real idea because people’s lives are at stake,” Zelensky added.

The interview comes after The Washington Post reported this weekend that Trump has privately said his plan to end the war in Ukraine would include pressuring the war-torn country to give up territory, including Crimea and the Donbas border region, to Russia.

The Post also reported that Trump’s purported plan has some foreign policy experts concerned that it would effectively reward Russian President Vladimir Putin by appearing to condone Putin’s violation of internationally recognized borders by force.

The reporting cited unnamed sources, including Trump advisers and people who have discussed the matter with the former president. Trump’s campaign did not respond to specific questions, but his spokesperson reportedly dismissed the sourcing.

“Any speculation about President Trump’s plan is coming from unnamed and uninformed sources who have no idea what is going on or what will happen,” Trump’s campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told the Post.

The Trump campaign did not respond to an inquiry from The Hill.

Politico reported Tuesday that Zelensky spoke respectfully about Trump — the presumptive GOP presidential candidate this year — and said he was eager to build a constructive relationship with him.

Politico also reported that Zelensky has urged Trump through intermediaries to visit Ukraine and that Trump reportedly expressed interested but has not indicated whether he would make the trip. Zelensky has previously invited Trump to visit Ukraine.