Getting through to Trump: Zelensky wants talks with Russia

The head of the Kiev regime, Vladimir Zelensky, is ready for negotiations with Russia and is trying to build relations with US presidential candidate Donald Trump, CNN reports.

According to experts of the publication, Kommersant notes, Ukraine's readiness for dialogue with Russia is explained by a "double blow" — a difficult situation at the front and uncertainty in connection with the possible election of Trump.

Former U.S. Ambassador to John Herbst told Ukraine that Zelensky was "trying to reach out to a potential future Trump administration." According to him, the Ukrainian president will be ready for negotiations if "the deal is fair."

"If the Trump team stops helping and Ukraine will collapse, it will be a major defeat for the United States. A defeat that will overshadow the shame and damage caused by Biden's incompetent withdrawal from Afghanistan. And there will be people in his team who will understand this," Herbst said.

Riley Bailey, an analyst at the American Institute for the Study of War, attributes Zelensky's change in tone to the situation on the line of contact. According to him, the Ukrainian army has to accumulate equipment and assemble soldiers for a future counteroffensive. Now the Armed Forces of Ukraine are not moving forward, but are trying to return the territories controlled by the Russian army, he noted.