Zelensky 'trusts Trump' but says US must ‘hear' Ukraine

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky spoke about his recent phone call with Donald Trump and his stance on a possible peace agreement with Russia during an interview on US television yesterday.

- JOHN BOWDEN

A trio of Trump advisers - secretary of state Marco Rubio, national security adviser Mike Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff - are set to meet with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia to begin negotiations aimed at ending the war, according to multiple news reports. Ukrainian officials have not yet confirmed whether they will be represented at the meeting.

Mr Zelensky, meanwhile, is in Washington DC and has met with Treasury secretary Scott Bessent as well as vice-president JD Vance in the past week. He also spoke with Mr Trump on the phone. The Ukrainian leader told NBC's Kristen Welker that he trusts Mr Trump to negotiate an end to the war but cautioned that the president should not exclude Ukrainians from the conversation.

"I trust President Trump because he's the president of the United States, because your people, your people voted for him, and I respect their choice, and I will work the President Trump with trust, which I have to the United States," Mr Zelensky said.