Kyiv’s mayor paused for 13 seconds when asked in a televised interview whether U.S. President Donald Trump was a reliable ally for Ukraine ahead of renewed peace negotiations tentatively planned for the next few weeks.
Vitali Klitschko said it was vital for the U.S. to be in Ukraine’s corner and supporting the country’s interests in a new round of peace talks with Russia.
But when asked by Sky News anchor Trevor Phillips on Saturday whether he trusted the U.S. president, Klitschko—a former boxing heavyweight champion and a major figure in Ukrainian politics—hesitated and briefly laughed.
Klitschko said he tried to trust the U.S. leader, but often did not understand messages issued by the president on the long-running peace process.
