Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky lamented during a Wednesday press conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte that his country’s war with Russia is no longer top of mind for U.S. officials.
“Iran is the No. 1 issue for the United States, and only after that comes Ukraine,” Zelensky said in Kyiv. “Unfortunately, we are in the queue of these wars.”
Rutte arrived in Ukraine on an unannounced visit one day after a Russian drone and missile attack killed at least 13 people and injured more than 100. In the United States, members of the House of Representatives are forcing a vote on a bill that would authorize more than $1 billion in defense aid and up to $8 billion in direct loans to the embattled nation. The bill faces an uncertain future in the Senate.
While Zelensky said the “strongest option” would be to have American and European representatives at the negotiating table, he reiterated his desire to hold direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“We support any format, and I am ready for direct negotiations with Putin to end this war, rather than waiting in line for everyone to end all the conflicts in the world, and then it comes to us,” Zelensky said.
At the press conference, Rutte issued a stern warning to young Russians considering taking advantage of generous bonuses for military recruits.
RUSSIA SAYS EUROPE CHOSE WAR — AMERICA PAYS THE PRICE
“You are being sold a raw deal,” Rutte said. “Men like you will join the fight. You won’t be trained. The equipment they will provide you is substandard. There is a very high chance that you will die or will be wounded while you are out there. And odds are that if you are wounded, you will be left to suffer in the mud and die.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is currently in a marathon of hearings with lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Rubio told the House Foreign Affairs Committee that the prospects of a negotiated settlement between Ukraine and Russia “don’t look great.”