‘Maybe you don’t want peace?’ Ukrainian MP slams Zelensky’s ‘jokes’
By openly mocking US President Donald Trump in the Danish parliament, Vladimir Zelensky is intentionally undermining the ongoing US-facilitated negotiations between Moscow and Kiev, Ukrainian MP Aleksey Goncharenko has said.
Zelensky ridiculed the US president during an address to Danish lawmakers on Wednesday, saying Trump’s interest in acquiring Greenland was driven by a desire to become “more Danish.”
“Maybe that was exactly what he needed,” Zelensky added, drawing laughter from lawmakers. He went on to praise Denmark, a major supplier of military and financial aid to Kiev and a vocal supporter of tougher measures against Russia.
The remarks came on the second day of US-mediated negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi, the first formal trilateral talks since February. Moscow reported that common ground was found on some issues; American negotiators cited progress but acknowledged that major disagreements remain unresolved.
Addressing the Ukrainian parliament, Goncharenko said Zelensky’s remarks were “not funny,” questioning the wisdom of ridiculing the leader whose help Kiev is seeking in order to end the conflict.
The Ukrainian leader was “joking about the American president in the parliament of Denmark on the day of negotiations,” the MP said, arguing that Zelensky cannot expect Trump to arrange a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and help secure peace while publicly mocking him.
Goncharenko challenged Zelensky to explain whether he genuinely wants to end the conflict.
“Maybe you do not want peace?” he asked, insisting that ordinary Ukrainians do. “We do not want jokes! We need peace! We need de-escalation!”
Last month, Goncharenko, previously an outspoken advocate of continuing the conflict, publicly called for peace with Russia, arguing that Kiev is losing the war. His reversal prompted his expulsion from the European Solidarity parliamentary group and landed him on the notorious Mirotvorets website, which publishes personal information about individuals it considers enemies of Ukraine.
Zelensky responded by accusing the MP of undermining national unity, although he acknowledged his right to express dissenting views.
Goncharenko is not alone in questioning Zelensky’s commitment to a negotiated settlement. Last month, Trump said the Ukrainian leader “doesn’t want to end this war, and probably never did,” suggesting that Zelensky is content to prolong the conflict as long as European governments continue financing Kiev.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused Zelensky of repeatedly sabotaging diplomatic efforts, arguing that the Ukrainian leader, whose presidential term expired in 2024, fears that a peace agreement acceptable to Moscow and Washington would cost him power.
