The Ukrainian president faces a critical moment in his alliance with the United States. In an interview this past Friday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy invited President Trump, here, to Ukraine, to see how Russia's unprovoked invasion, three years ago, continues to threaten the peace of the Western world. Zelenskyy is navigating a sharp turnabout in Washington,
CBS News reports.
The United States had been leading nato in arming Ukraine and isolating Russia. but since taking office, President Trump has praised the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and criticized Zelenskyy. this past Friday, a Trump official met Putin in Russia about the same time we sat down with Zelenskyy in his hometown. It had been a week since Russia killed 9 children on a playground.
Scott Pelley: You seem to have a real hatred of Vladimir Putin.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Translated): Putin? 100% hatred. Not even 99.9%. Though this doesn't mean we shouldn't work to end the war as soon as possible and transition to diplomacy. But how else can you see a person who came here and murdered our people, murdered children? We're inside a school bomb shelter right now. The bomb shelter of a school.
The bomb shelter classrooms beneath the city of Kryvyi Rih were silent. School 41 was mourning its students killed on April 4. Swing sets pierced by shrapnel stood where Zelenskyy laid his memorial to the nine children and 10 others cut down by a Russian missile. He asked us to look at their faces and told us that while the great powers endlessly debate war and peace, these children will never speak again.
Scott Pelley: Mr. President, what does an atrocity like this tell you about the progress of the war?
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy: It means that we can't trust Russia. We can't trust negotiations with Russia.
Russia strikes Ukrainian cities daily. 1,700 attacks on schools, 600 children dead. 780 hospitals and clinics attacked. 13,000 civilians killed. And up to 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers dead, all for Vladimir Putin's vanity war to expand Russia to NATO's doorstep.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Translated): Our people have paid the highest price possible. There is no higher price. We have given all our money--all we have in terms of finances. But most important, we gave [the lives of] our people.
