European Union leaders plan to urge Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to refrain from harsh public criticism of US President Donald Trump. The talk is scheduled for October 16 behind closed doors in Brussels, the Financial Times reports, citing three officials.
According to the sources, European leaders do not necessarily consider Zelensky's criticism of Trump to be unfounded. But they fear that public disputes could jeopardize future cooperation between Ukraine and the United States.
“It may be true, but that doesn't mean it always has to be said out loud“, said one official.Another official described the expected position of the 27 leaders as “sympathetic, but at the same time quite firm“. According to him, European leaders will express a critical attitude towards Zelensky's statements, but will also assure him of the European Union's continued support for Ukraine.
Tensions between Zelensky and Trump
Relations between the Ukrainian and American presidents have deteriorated since their meeting in New York in mid-September. Zelensky was in the United States for the UN summit, where he spoke with Trump.
According to The Wall Street Journal, during the meeting, Trump asked Zelensky why Ukraine was attacking Russian oil refineries. Since then, the US president has repeatedly called on Kiev to stop the attacks on these facilities.
The publication describes the meeting as the beginning of a deterioration in relations between the two leaders. Senior European and Ukrainian officials say that Ukraine's difficulties with access to satellite terminals followed warnings from the United States about a possible suspension of intelligence support or arms sales if the strikes on Russian refineries continue.
Support for Ukraine remains on the agenda
The European Council meets in Brussels on October 15 and 16. The official agenda includes continued support for Ukraine, including the country's critical infrastructure needs before winter.
At the moment, this is a planned conversation, not a decision made or a formal request made to Zelensky. It remains to be seen whether the topic will be discussed in the specified format and what the outcome of the meeting will be.
Sources: news.bg