The Ukraine-Russia war continues to wage on. Donald Trump desperately wants the fighting to stop.
And the Ukrainian president made a stunning confession about the U.S. that has Trump beside himself.
In a raw interview, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky laid it bare – his nation stands no chance against Russia’s onslaught without Uncle Sam’s backing. This comes as no surprise to those who’ve watched the endless drain on American taxpayers for a far-off conflict.
Zelensky didn’t beat around the bush when pressed on the battlefield realities. He hammered home how vital U.S. weapons are for shielding Ukraine’s skies and pushing back Russian forces.
“If we are speaking [about], can we win without American support, no,” the Ukrainian leader stated to Fox News’ Bret Baier during an episode of Special Report.
He doubled down on the air defense crunch, pointing out the relentless barrage from the enemy.
“Without American support, we can’t defend the sky. Even now, it’s very difficult,” Zelensky stated. “American support with missiles for air defense is really helpful and strong. In any case, Russia uses hundreds, you see, hundreds and thousands of drones and missiles.”
“Of course, we can’t win.”
President Trump, ever the voice of reason against wasteful foreign entanglements, has slammed the massive aid bundles shoved through by the establishment. Yet, under his watch, key arms deals flowed to Kyiv.
Beyond hardware, America has dished out vital intel and slapped harsh penalties on Moscow, hitting them where it hurts.
But Zelensky pushed back against the idea that Russia holds the upper hand, even as they grip almost 20% of Ukrainian turf and inch forward lately.
“When Russia is occupying about 3,000 [square] kilometers per year these last two years, it’s understandable that it looks that we are not winning,” Zelensky said. “It’s not [a] real fact.”
“The fact [is that] the price of these 3,000 kilometers for this year — the price was 400,000 people, Russian soldiers. Now Russia loses 41,000 soldiers k*lled per month.”
To put that tiny gain in perspective, 3,000 square kilometers equals roughly 1,158 square miles – just over twice the sprawl of New York City. Hardly a steamroll for Putin.
Zelensky backed his claims with drone footage capturing the heavy toll on Russian troops, painting a picture of a grinding stalemate rather than triumph.
Fresh off a sit-down with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, where they hashed out Ukraine’s 20-point roadmap to end the fighting, Zelensky clashed with the president’s take on Putin’s intentions.
Trump suggested the Russian strongman actually craves a stable, prosperous Ukraine post-conflict, but Zelensky wasn’t buying it, showing clear unease during their joint presser – eyebrows up, a chuckle slipping out later.
“I don’t trust Putin, and he doesn’t want success for Ukraine,” Zelensky said to Fox News. “I believe that he can say such words to President Trump. I believe … that he can say [that], but it’s, it’s not, it’s not true.”
Zelensky insisted that any deal must force Russia to cough up cash for rebuilding the war-torn country.
He called out Putin’s bluster about expanding the invasion, seeing no genuine olive branches from the Kremlin.
“That’s why, of course, we need dialogue and pressure from President Trump,” Zelensky stated. “He has some instruments … [and] I think, that he’s … trying to bring peace.”
This plea highlights Trump’s unique leverage – a no-nonsense leader who can cut through the fog and prioritize American strength over endless proxy wars.
