“The height of impudence” and “aimed at Trump”: Lutsenko on Zelensky’s interview with Lex Friedman
8 January 09:27
Ukrainian society is actively discussing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s interview with popular American podcaster Lex Friedman. Friedman’s YouTube channel, which has more than 4.5 million subscribers, has previously published interviews with prominent world leaders, including Argentine President Javier Millais. Former Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko criticized the interview. In his opinion, President Zelensky spoke mainly for one audience – former US President Donald Trump, Komersant ukrainskyi reports.
“This was not a fight for Trump’s support for Ukraine. He did not mention a word about it. It was not a work for strengthening the support of the Armed Forces by the Congress and the Senate. It was a message for one listener – for Trump,” Lutsenko said.
He also commented on Zelensky’s statements about US military assistance:
“To say that America under the Democrats stole half of the military aid to Ukraine is the height of impudence. Zelensky said that we were allocated 177 billion, and we received less than half. But the president of a belligerent state should know that $59 billion has been paid in advance to American arms manufacturers, who are to deliver them by 2029.”
Lutsenko warned that such statements could undermine bipartisan support for Ukraine in the United States:
“The question is to undermine bipartisan support for America at a crucial moment of a deadly battle. For the sake of preserving personal power.”
The president’s interview drew both approval and criticism from experts and citizens. One part of society sees Zelenskyy’s speech as an attempt to draw attention to the problem, while the other is concerned about the possible consequences for diplomatic relations with the United States.
