Zelensky’s man in DC: Ukraine president’s plan to convince Trump to support the war against Russia
Zelensky’s man in DC: Ukraine president’s plan to convince Trump to support the war against Russia
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Exclusive: President Volodymyr Zelensky was not in Washington for Donald Trump’s inauguration but he sent one of his closest political allies. Concerns that Donald Trump may be prepared to ditch America’s support for Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky are wrong, insiders have claimed.
![[Donald Trump has yet to indicate what he plans to do about the Ukraine-Russia war]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/23/17/GettyImages-2194375169-%281%29.jpg)
People working with the newly installed White House administration point to the presence of one of Zelensky’s key allies at a place of honour at President Trump’s inauguration on Monday. David Arakhamia, the Ukrainian parliamentary group leader of Zelensky’s Servant of the People Party, was afforded a rare place in the Capitol rotunda to witness the inauguration on Monday. He has since told Ukrainian media that he now expects a formal Ukrainian delegation to meet with the US president next month.
He said: “We are now working to ensure that the relevant meetings are held at the inter-parliamentary level and other levels.". The optimism though comes at a difficult time for Ukraine with Trump describing President Zelensky as “no angel” partly blaming him for the war with Russia, and the new White House administration halting all foreign aid to everywhere outside Israel and Egypt.
Arakhamia was one of just a handful of foreign dignitaries allowed into the building once the ceremony was taken inside because of the sub-zero temperatures in Washington DC on the day. Others included former UK prime minister Boris Johnson and Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni.
