US 'destroying' world order, says Ukraine's ambassador to UK
Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK on Sep 22, 2024. (File photo: AFP/Oli Scarff)
LONDON: The United States is "destroying" the established world order as it tears up its stance on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Kyiv's ambassador to the UK said on Thursday (Mar 6).
Valery Zaluzhny, who became ambassador in 2024 after three years as commander-in-chief of Ukraine's army, said the US was now trying to meet Russia "halfway" and Moscow's next target "could be Europe".
It came as European Union leaders started crisis talks in Brussels on confronting US President Donald Trump's pivot away from Kyiv and its allies.
Since an explosive meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week, Washington has suspended military aid and intelligence sharing that have helped Ukraine fight off Russia's invasion.
Trump's rapprochement with Moscow has stunned allies, and fears are growing in Ukraine and Europe that he is trying to force Kyiv to accept a peace deal largely favourable to Moscow.
"We see that it is not just the axis of evil and Russia trying to revise the world order but the US is finally destroying this order," Zaluzhny told a conference at the Chatham House think tank.
Talks between the US and Russia showed the White House "makes steps towards the Kremlin, trying to meet them halfway", he said.
He added that the suspension of intelligence sharing and an earlier US decision to oppose a United Nations resolution condemning Russian aggression in Ukraine were "a huge challenge for the entire world".
