Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called out one significant Kremlin “lie” which Donald Trump keeps repeating.
The US president has alleged on many occasions that Ukrainian troops occupying the Russian region of Kursk are “completely surrounded” by Vladimir Putin’s soldiers – suggesting Moscow holds all the cards.
But news agency Reuters previously revealed US intelligence reports actually contradict that claim.
The White House was reportedly briefed on the situation in Ukraine too, so it is unclear why Trump continues to repeat the Kremlin’s false claim.
Speaking to Time magazine this week, Zelenskyy expressed his frustration with Russian disinformation.
Putin had told Trump that thousands of Ukrainian troops were surrounded by Russian forces, but “that was a lie,” Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian president suggested there was a wider problem of US officials believing Putin, too.
He said: “I believe Russia has managed to influence some people on the White House team through information.
“Their signal to the Americans was that the Ukrainians do not want to end the war, and something should be done to force them.”
Yet Zelenskyy plays down the idea that Russia’s recent progress in Kursk is down to Trump’s decision to temporarily freeze military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv earlier this month.
He said: “It’s not connected. Don’t get me wrong. The state of morale always depends on whether your partners are standing beside you. But I wouldn’t say that the freeze influenced the operation in Kursk.”
He also said when the US threatened to sanction the Kremlin for its ongoing bombing raids against Ukraine, adding: “The Russians got really scared.”
Representatives from the US and Ukraine have met in Saudi Arabia today for further “technical” discussions on resolving the war.