Thread by @PaulaChertok

Zelensky finally got his WH meeting. And @CNN its interview—2 yrs late. @ZelenskyyUa tells @FareedZakaria his goal was & is for #Ukraine to win, diplomatically saying he didn’t feel pressure—even if Trump intended it. But jokes a dig at Trump? “This wasn’t Robert DeNiro—my idol.”

@CNN @ZelenskyyUa @FareedZakaria ZAKARIA: Are you worried America will abandon Ukraine [aft Afghanistan w/drawal]?
ZELENSKY: You can’t compare Ukraine to Afghanistan. Since Russia's invasion & occupation in 2014, Ukrainian volunteer citizen battalions have been defending their own country. There was no one else.

@CNN @ZelenskyyUa @FareedZakaria Ukrainian President Zelensky: #Ukraine is not Afghanistan. And #Russia is not the Taliban. Despite having one of most powerful armies in the world, Russia has failed to conquer Ukraine.

@CNN @ZelenskyyUa @FareedZakaria Zelensky said the US should rather increase its involvement in #Ukraine. He argues it's a win-win because it's in America's interest to keep the threat from Russia at bay. He stressed he's "ambitious" for Ukraine. And then he switched to English to talk about NATO membership.

@CNN @ZelenskyyUa @FareedZakaria Zelensky said Biden told him at WH meeting that he backed NATO membership for #Ukraine, but that it's not his decision alone.

Zelensky spoke hesitantly, maybe bc he switched to English? Or maybe he switched to Eng to leave room for interpretation on a touchy subject for #Russia.

@CNN @ZelenskyyUa @FareedZakaria Zelensky said he & Biden spoke for ~40 minutes on "the alliance." Zelensky stated that Biden backed #Ukraine's membership in NATO, but it's not his decision alone. Zelensky said (& apparently argued to Biden at WH) that if US took the lead, that "signal" would help others follow.

https://twitter.com/PaulaChertok/status/1437138836937531393