Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is in Paris for another meeting of the "coalition of the willing", spoke with a group of European journalists, including BBC correspondent Jeremy Bowen, BNR reported.
"Putin is trying to divide the EU and weaken allies," Zelensky stressed.
When asked by Jeremy Bowen about the peace agreement, Russian conditions and America's position, the Ukrainian president said he hoped the US would "remain firm" in the face of Russia's demands to lift sanctions as a condition for a ceasefire in the Black Sea. Zelensky said he was "very grateful" for the "bipartisan support" from the US, but added that he feared that some were "under the influence of the Russian narrative."
"We cannot agree with these stories", Zelensky said.
When asked whether US President Donald Trump had a closer relationship with him or with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Ukrainian president replied that it was difficult for him to say because he did not know what the relationship was between Trump and Putin and how many conversations they had. Zelensky also warned that Putin was trying to weaken Europe by dividing the EU.
BBC correspondent Jeremy Bowen recalled that today in Paris the countries of the "coalition of the willing" will once again try to reach a consensus on what support European allies can offer to beleaguered Ukraine if a ceasefire agreement is reached, the most important point being that they will now have to do so without relying on America "to do the heavy lifting."