The president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview broadcast on Ukrainian television today that the “unpredictable” Donald Trump – who returns to the White House to take office on January 20 – could prove to be a “decisive” factor in ending the Russian invasion of his country.

“Trump may be decisive (…) in this war. It can help us stop Putin. He is very strong and unpredictable,” Zelensky said in a televised interview, expressing his belief that the US president-elect “really wants to end the war.”

His return Donald Trump in the US presidency raises hopes in Kiev for bold decisions regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine – almost three years after it began – but also worries about a possible reduction in US military and economic aid due to the criticism which the Republican tycoon had expressed before the election.

Volodymyr Zelensky has ruled out negotiations with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to end the war. However, he recently appeared to pour water on his wine, agreeing to temporarily suspend operations to liberate occupied territories in exchange for security guarantees from NATO and increasing military aid to Kiev.

Some European countries, including France, have tabled the idea of ​​deploying a foreign military force to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal, but Zelensky is clear that such an initiative should not undermine his country’s NATO membership.