Zelenskyy's office: Russia's attacks fail to influence Trump's opinion of Putin
Photo: Mykhailo Podolyak, advisor to the Head of the Office of the President (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
US President Donald Trump has not changed his attitude toward President Vladimir Putin after Russia’s massive strikes on Ukraine. The US needs different arguments, states Mykhailo Podolyak, advisor to the Head of the Office of the President, in a comment to RBC-Ukraine.
"Let’s be honest here. No, it doesn’t have an impact (Russia’s massive strikes on Ukraine on Trump’s position – ed.)," Podolyak said. "Different arguments are needed here. Arguments related to personal reputation."
According to him, when dealing with the US, it’s necessary to use tools that show Russia is trying to humiliate Washington and is undermining its ties with Europe, which weakens security.
In addition, the advisor to the Head of the Presidential Office believes that Trump needs to be shown that Russia is provoking conflicts around the world — in the Indo-Pacific region, in Africa, and elsewhere.
"Right now, by the way, they are reformatting Wagner into an African corps. They are actively seeking to influence a number of countries in Africa, Latin America, and so on. These are pragmatic tools, and all of this will impact US revenues, it will affect US debt obligations, the formation of the so-called national debt, and so on. That will work," he stated.
Podolyak also added that the emotional aspect of the war has taken a back seat and is less prominent in global media. He explained that other topics are now being actively covered — for example, the migrant conflict in California.
"That’s why we need to take a rational approach. For Trump, there’s one set of arguments; for those interested in the humanitarian aspect — another. But it’s important to properly assess who you’re talking to and what you’re talking about, and to achieve positive results from that conversation," he said.
Russia’s massive strikes
Since early June, Russia has launched a series of massive strikes on Ukraine. The attacks targeted Kyiv, Kharkiv, the Odesa region, central regions, and some western parts of the country.
On June 10, Russian forces carried out a large-scale strike on Kyiv. The aftermath was recorded in seven districts of the capital — fires broke out, there was destruction, and people were injured. More details on the consequences of the attack can be found in an RBC-Ukraine report.
That same night, the Russian army also attacked Kharkiv. Two districts came under fire. As a result of the attack, three people were killed and 60 were injured, including nine children.
