MOSCOW, April 3. /TASS/. Vladimir Zelensky remaining in power obstructs the broader policy that US President Donald Trump wants to pursue, including cooperation with Russia on the fuel and energy market, former US Marine Corps intelligence analyst and former UN weapons inspector in Iraq Scott Ritter said in an interview with TASS.

"What we have is a political problem, where Ukraine has become inconvenient. So, Donald Trump’s words (that Zelensky is an obstacle to peace in Donbass — TASS) reflect not an understanding of the root causes of the conflict, but an understanding of the reality that Zelensky’s continued presence is hindering the broader policies that he [Trump] wants to achieve. And right now, those policies are heavily influenced by what is going on in the Middle East," Ritter said.

According to him, Russian energy resources are currently saving the United States. "We need Russia to be cooperating with us. We need Russia to put energy on the market. And Zelensky is problematic to that. This is what is happening," the expert explained.

"What we do care about is how much gasoline costs at the pump. And if Russia can make prices go down, we love Russia," he concluded.

The United States does not understand the essence of the conflict in Donbass, and if it did, it would side with Russia, Ritter said. "The United States does not have a deep understanding of the Donbass conflict, not at all. If we did, we would not be doing what we are doing. Because if we had a deep understanding of the Donbass conflict, we would be on the side of Russia," he noted.