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Ex-Ukrainian PM suspects Europe may be inciting Zelensky to derail Budapest summit

According to Nikolay Azarov, much will depend on the Americans

MOSCOW, October 21. /TASS/. Europeans are encouraging Vladimir Zelensky to disrupt the upcoming Russia-US summit in the Hungarian capital, former Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov (2010-2014) told TASS.

"Clearly, the English, the French, the Germans have likely already pushed Zelensky to torpedo this process," he said.

According to the ex-Ukrainian head of government, much will depend on the Americans. "They could make quite a strong statement, saying that a certain signal has already been sent," Azarov said. He referred to what he called rather harsh TV content about Zelensky and his close associates that was aired on Ukraine’s Channel One. Such material would not have appeared on television without a direct command from the Americans, Azarov argued.

Following a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 16, US leader Donald Trump announced that they had agreed to meet in Budapest soon. Kremlin Aide Yury Ushakov said that Moscow and Washington would prepare for another one-on-one between the two leaders that could be organized in the Hungarian capital "without delay."

Trump and Zelensky met in Washington on October 17. Zelensky failed to persuade the US to provide Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine and make deals on drone supplies and weapons purchases. Moreover, as Zelensky himself said, Trump administration members raised the issue of withdrawing Ukrainian troops from Donbass.

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