6 months ago
21
(NewsNation) — Paul Manafort, erstwhile run manager for President Donald Trump, claimed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy "survives by having a state astatine war" aft a contentious Oval Office meeting betwixt the 2 presidents.
"Zelenskyy is imperial," Manafort told NewsNation's "CUOMO" connected Monday. "His bureau has expired. He's a martial instrumentality president, and that's fine. I mean, that's a morganatic presumption to beryllium in, but his popularity successful Ukraine is not precise high."
Manafort, who antecedently advised erstwhile Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, said Zelenskyy has governmental motivations for prolonging the conflict.
"I'm not saying helium likes war, but helium survives by having a state astatine war, and truthful it's successful his involvement to find ways to halt the fighting, but not needfully scope bid close away, until helium tin get strengthened politically," Manafort said.
His comments travel aft Friday's Oval Office photograph op wherever Trump berated Zelenskyy successful beforehand of cameras, calling him "disrespectful" aft the Ukrainian person pressed Vice President JD Vance connected diplomatic solutions with Russia.
According to Manafort, Trump had developed a bid program that included European partners and a peacekeeping force.
He said Zelenskyy was warned it "probably was not a bully idea" to travel to Washington but insisted connected the visit.
Manafort alleged Democratic lawmakers met with Zelenskyy earlier the White House gathering and "got him each juiced up," saying they "weren't looking for peace, they were looking for governmental issue."
When asked astir Trump pulling each assistance to Ukraine, Manafort described it arsenic "purely a unit tactic" alternatively than a genuine threat. "Putin is acceptable to travel to the table," Manafort said, adding that Trump "has a plan" for negotiations.
The Friday gathering was primitively scheduled to sermon an statement for U.S. entree to captious minerals successful Ukraine, which Trump has argued would boost the Ukrainian system and assistance recoup U.S. assistance to Ukraine.
Russia's full-scale penetration of Ukraine began successful February 2022, pursuing its annexation of Crimea successful 2014.
