EU leaders did not ask Zelenskyy to tone down criticism of Trump: "He is desperate" – media
European leaders did not try to persuade Volodymyr Zelenskyy to change his tone when communicating with US President Donald Trump.
Politico reported this, citing informed European diplomats, according to Censor.NET.
What diplomats say
According to Politico, European diplomats who spoke to the publication on condition of anonymity said EU leaders had put no pressure on Zelenskyy.
"What do you expect from him? He is desperate, and the situation is terrible," one diplomat said.
Politico also reported that Zelenskyy drew fresh anger from Trump by announcing that Kyiv would resume strikes on Russian oil refineries, although the US president had recently called on the Ukrainian leader to resign. Despite this, the publication's sources said the EU had not tried to influence Zelenskyy's communication with Trump.
What Zelenskyy said
During a press briefing in Brussels, the Ukrainian president also said he had heard "only support" from European allies for Kyiv's response to recent US actions and statements.
Background
- The previous day, the Financial Times reported that EU leaders planned to urge Zelenskyy to soften his public criticism of Trump. The journalists said the EU believed Zelenskyy's harsh remarks about Trump could further damage strained relations between Washington and Kyiv.
