european leaders give their backing to the ukrainian called him �*a dictator'. of four dead hostages. young children. now on bbc news, it's time for your questions answered. the rift between presidents zelensky and trump is deepening. has repeated his claim that the ukrainian he's accused volodmyr zelensky

of refusing to have elections on the phone, facilitated the first high level invasion of ukraine in 2022, and has suggested ukraine started the war. here to answer them is our diplomatic correspondent, james landale, russia editor for bbc monitoring, vitaliy shevchenko. in kyiv we have our correspondent abdujalil abduraslov. welcome you all, so many questions, will try to get questions, we will try to get to as many as we can. seems to as many as we can. it seems that even have extraordinary that we even have to ask a question but people

are, because donald trump is suggesting here that russia somehow is the victim, that the war. remind ukraine started the war. remind us how this war began. it ukraine started the war. remind us how this war began.- more than morezthan 11 years ago, at more than 11 years ago, i remember the really. i remember the time well when troops known as really. i remember the time wellv green oops known as really. i remember the time wellv green oops because 5 [giggle green men because they no began little green men because they no began pouring had no insignia began pouring into ukraine, into crimea, and mm was den in that it was russia was denying that it was troops. years later, ten its troops. years later, ten years later in 2022, russia openly ukraine when openly attacked ukraine when vandermeer the vandermeer putin launched the so—called military aefcallec! special military" ' " ” ' ' ' " what he want ukraine? ithink ukraine? i think it is from ukraine? i think it is a significant of becausea sig nificantchunk ef russian becausea significantchunk ef russian political and 7 w putin” ' w putin'stillr ” putin’stillrhave'

widening putin still have qllqdildq as trouble accepting ukraine as an independent nation that can trouble accepting ukraine as an indepe howt nation that can trouble accepting ukraine as an indepe how it1ation that can trouble accepting ukraine as an indepe how it wants that can trouble accepting ukraine as an indepe how it wants to it can trouble accepting ukraine as an indepe how it wants to live. decide bee! it wants. te liver; ~ putin and key in russia still? officials in russia still call ukrainians part of the russian = putin shortly before nation. putin shortly before launching the special military wrote a piece $7— -: about the historical £7: ofthe ukrainian w " 55h? u’k’aifiiaa’afid nations. that is why russian nations. that is why for the russian government ukraine should be part of russia, under russia's rule. there is feeling, reflected there is a feeling, reflected by a we have had an by a question we have had an ominously, that donald trump has turned his back on ukraine and support is, is starting to support the russian president. we interpret the how should we interpret the statements we have had from i statements we have had from him? i am not sure donald trump is turnin: him? i am not sure donald trump

is turning his _ him? i am not sure donald trump is turning his back— him? i am not sure donald trump is turning his back on _ him? i am not sure donald trump is turning his back on ukraine. - is turning his back on ukraine. obviously— is turning his back on ukraine. obviously his suggest 2 =52 z -—52 z _—52 but if you look at 52 that but if you look at actions, has not been cut actions, aid has not been cut off — actions, aid has not been cut off that_ actions, aid has not been cut off. that not to say he off. that is not to say he could _ off. that is not to say he could not_ off. that is not to say he could not do it. his secretary = -: state marco : of state marco rubio said military aid will continue militar�*s�* aie! saittsentines ’ to ukraine militarg aie! eittsenttnes - to ukraine but militarg aie! eittsenttnes " " f to ukraine but what i going to ukraine but what i would _ going to ukraine but what i would say that i do would say is that i do not think_ would say is that i do not think it _ would say is that i do not think it is hugely shocking the —e:: =ezz = _]7: = i: —_r-— —* - he is speang. it is not. 772: e—_:: :——- as if donald trumprcampaig. the as if donald trumprcampaigned the promise as if donald tromocampaigned the promise he would close remain close to ukraine and continue _ remain close to ukraine and continue giving aid. this is a campaign _ continue giving aid. this is a campaign promise, here in america _ campaign promise, here in america yes, is radical new foreign policy he a radical new foreign policy he but a radical new foreign policy he _ but you - a radical new foreign policy he but you must is presenting but you must remember that domestic rememberthat domestic angle to he campaigned the this. he campaigned on the - that _ this. he campaigned on the - that he _ this. he campaigned on the that he would end the promise that he would end the war in— promise that he would end the war in ukraine, he would just end— war in ukraine, he would just end it— war in ukraine, he would just end it as— war in ukraine, he would just end it as quickly as possible. he i not _ end it as quickly as possible. he not say he would bring he did not say he would bring peace — he did not say he would bring peace but would stop the war. i recall— peace but would stop the war. i recall on— peace but would stop the war. i recall on the campaign 2: near, = -22 e e 11 7 cuttin- off remember, - remember, i has a| also remember, he has a

turbulent relationship with volodymyr zelensky, turbulent relationship with volodymyrzelensky, it turbulent relationship with volodymyr zelensky, it goes back — volodymyr zelensky, it goes back to _ volodymyr zelensky, it goes back to 2019 when he had the phone — back to 2019 when he had the phone call when he put pressure phone callwhenhepotpreesm�*e i volodymyr phone call'when'he'pot'preeeore volodymyr to phone call'wheh'he'pot'preeeore volodymyr to dig up en volodymyr geleheke tedio'op’ ' w” ' 7 " f" ’ on joe en volodymyr geleheke tedio'op’ ' w” ' 7 " f" ’ onjoe biden. it led to dirt onjoe biden. it led to his first _ dirt onjoe biden. it led to his first impeachment a criminal from was a criminal referral from the — was a criminal referral from the department ofjustice, they the—department— of—justis, - . not theedepartment— of—justice, they not investigate the end did not investigate'ihtheend - _ did not investigate'ihtheend - m_ did not investigate—inthe end since then things have been but since then things have been fraught — but since then things have been fraught i— but since then things have been fraught. i think president trump _ fraught. i think president trump has also wanted to have a tru m p has also wanted to havea - relationship trump hasaleowantedto'have a �* relationship with trump hasaleowantedto'have a �*rwe onship with trump hasaleowantedto'have a �*rwe thought rith trump hasaleowantedto'have a �*rwe thought that in the = -= attempt and i do first attempt and i do not think— first attempt and i do not think it _ first attempt and i do not think it is any different in second. the eeeende throuczter-fi�* me...” it depends the eeeehde theouezter-fi�* me...” it depends who the 355291! theoueftene�*f - it depends who you ask. have conspiracy = -:: about that, z about that, the z theories about that, the republicans would say, what is eefieih. a, e nae e ”7,7 2—1 j "7” z“. j to??? z— j m77 wrong with speaking . a in wrong with speaking too/ode wrong with speaking to yoor in terms of enemies? in terms of answee'mg - question in a enemies? in terms of answering question in a nutshell, i that question in a nutshell, i do not — that question in a nutshell, i do not know if he is turning his back— do not know if he is turning his back on we can see his back on ukraine, we can see what _ his back on ukraine, we can see what - going _ his back on ukraine, we can see what going forward if what happens going forward if he starts off aid.

he starts cutting off aid. let's _ he starts cutting off aid. let's listen to donald trump. i think the russians want to see war end but they hold see the war end but they hold cards because they have the cards because they have a lot of territory so taken a lot of territory so they have the cards. asks, j asks, why is he suddenly barry asks, why is he suddenly siding with what does mean �* europe and the j that mean for europe and the other western countries? he believes he has made clear believes as he has made clear that— believes as he has made clear that russia, putin wants to end j= that is his this war, and that is his belief _ this war, and that is his belief. it's not a belief shared _ belief. it's not a belief shared by everyone, there are many— shared by everyone, there are nrany who— shared by everyone, there are many who vladimir many who believe vladimir putin is playing — many who believe vladimir putin is playing for time and is happy— is playing for time and is happy for this to continue for - time _ happy for this to continue for time. clearly are some time. clearly there are some — some time. clearly there are some _ on- some time. clearly there are some on that some constraints on that process— some constraints on that process economic plate, the sheer— process economic plate, the sheer. of— process economic plate, the sheer of russian troops.

sheer loss of russian troops. but at — sheer loss of russian troops. but at the _ sheer loss of russian troops. but at the moment vladimir putin— but at the moment vladimir putin has no need to rush to negotiation table but the negotiation table but donald trump seems to believe that- case _ donald trump seems to believe that case. that seems to that is the case. that seems to be why— that is the case. that seems to be why he _ that is the case. that seems to be why he is showering the lee och: he 'fiha’/erlhath§ lee amine he he jhflmer'fia�*hg with concessions. lee ehe he he sheeer'fia�*he with concessions. it puzzlin - many because puzzlin. many because i talk is puzzling many because i talk to people who say, if you want to people who say, if you want to negotiate hard, you should ;77;— ’—= —= .—-—| jj j jjjjej-jjo j j go in and say let's do a deal but — go in and say let's do a deal but if— go in and say let's do a deal but if you _ go in and say let's do a deal but if you don't do a deal we will— but if you don't do a deal we will seize _ but if you don't do a deal we will seize all of those frozen in europe, assets in europe, increase military— assets in europe, increase military and economic spending ukraine, -ive for tiaraiheg gisre their’ we fer dereineg ghee their - we increase missiles, we will increase sanctions and even on one occasion, _ sanctions and even on one occasion, somebody said to me, sanctions and even on one occasit we ;omebody said to me, sanctions and even on one occasit we play body said to me, sanctions and even on one occasit we play the y said to me, sanctions and even on one occasit we play the nuclear» me, sanctions and even on one occasit we play the nuclear card. should we play the nuclear card and even — should we play the nuclear card and even float the idea of giving _ and even float the idea of giving ukraine back its nuclear giving ukrainesbaek its n, that was m giving vljkrainesbaeks its n, a-othat was m giving ukrainesbaek its n, a-o inat was m giving ukrainesbaek its n, a-o in return m giving vljkrainesbaeks its n, a-o in return supposedly years ago in return supposedly im— years ago in return supposedly western security for western security guarantees? in other words, play— guarantees? in other words, play hard _ guarantees? in other words, play hard. donald is not

play hard. donald trump is not doing — play hard. donald trump is not doing that, he is betting the on his relationship house on his relationship with latimer— house on his relationship with latimer putin and his belief we latimer putin and his belief - we have _ latimer putin and his belief we have just seen on that that we have just seen on that clip that— that we have just seen on that clip that russia willing clip that russia is willing to end — clip that russia is willing to end that _ clip that russia is willing to end that war. and seems gt] - t !.-.,t,-.,,a.g,-,i, , a a), area. a be qm . be believing ggdthat war and russia seems be believing mr trump's ggdthat war and russia seems be believinga mrtrump's ggdthat war and russia seems be believing a quick�*trump's ggdthat war and russia seems be believing a quick deal np's ggdthat war and russia seems be believing a quick deal is 's thatis that is in serltrnencss fur a eeie’e dealt: ' that is in russia's favour one that is in russia's favour and — one that is in russia's favour and at — one that is in russia's favour and at the _ one that is in russia's favour and at the cost of ukraine and one that is in russia's favour and is the cost of ukraine and one that is in russia's favour and is the cost c eu lraine and fiat ie o'etrifging ii at that ie o'etrifging eo' _ at the i thet meg _ at the moment. hat is getrifgtngi at the moment. policymakers at the moment. the eu has policymakers at the moment. tie eu has responded policymakers at the moment. tte eu has responded to the comments. the european union has responded to president trump ukraine is a democracy. putin's russia is not. in keith, there have questions asked in recent days about volodymyr zelensky�*s

aeeet volodymyr eeleneiey'e ,, a, . one asked, does mandate. one person asked, does volodymyr zelensky have a share these peace talks as he in these peace talks as he claims to have?— in these peace talks as he claims to have? here j“ herethat jj fjéjjejtjhét ukraine jjjjj herjethat ukraine are claims here that ukraine are being sidelined after ukraine not invited to the talks in as rtet iee�*ted te the talke ire ,. —~ ~~ ~ ~ . arabia as rtet iee�*ted ta the talk ire ~ ,,, ~~ ~ ~ - arabia between as het iheited te the ta'hs i’t' ,. ,,, ~~ ~ ~ - arabia between the saudi arabia between the and the to americans and the russians to discuss a peace deal. there is the feeling ukraine is being pushed away, after pushed away, especially after latest pu