If the British Commonwealth were a substantive stakeholder in the Ukraine outcome, one might expect the Commonwealth’s former Banker and current leading advocate would be immediately contacted by Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

[SOURCE]

Alex Stubb from Finland and NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte from The Netherlands.  Oh, and “the Netherlands imported 146.461 million tons of LNG from Russia“…. so far this year.

From CANADA: “The Prime Minister’s Office says the two leaders discussed the new agreement for Russia to supply millions of tonnes of diesel fuel to the United States, which Trump announced on Friday.

The PMO says Carney made clear this agreement runs against the efforts of Canada and its allies to end the war in Europe by providing Russia with new revenue. A readout from the office says the two leaders talked about increasing coordination with allies to help Ukraine with its air defence needs.” {citation}

Zelenskyy appears on ABC News:

[TRANSCRIPT] – Jonathan Karl: President Zelenskyy, thank you for joining. Let me get right to what President Trump just said. What is your response? He says it’s time for a new president of Ukraine.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. First of all, good morning and thank you for this dialogue.

So, this week was very difficult for us, not only geopolitically, first of all because of massive attacks, Russian attacks on our civilian infrastructure. So they attacked 196 times our energy sector. It’s only electricity, plus 20 times gas and oil. And they killed for now 153 civilians.

So, I think this is an answer what’s going on, really what’s going on. And it’s a signal that Russia doesn’t feel real pressure. They want to continue.

About energy, I said it to President Trump, to president’s teams, to his team and to his people several times, so we want peace. We are ready for ceasefire. We are ready to begin from any kind of steps of de-escalation. We are ready for energy ceasefire, not to attack energy both sides.

And if the Russians want us not attack their diesel, their refineries and et cetera, we are asking President Trump, give them signal, not attack energy infrastructure of Ukraine. It’s fair deal. It’s not the best deal. The best deal not — not to have a war, to stop Putin. But the first step is ceasefire, energy ceasefire.

OK, if they want energy ceasefire, we are open for this. Don’t attack us. Don’t kill our children. We will stop attack your diesel. And I think it’s fair, fair deal.

President Trump said that we need — Ukraine needs new president. So, first of all, with all respect to President Trump, it’s up to our society, up to our people to choose one or another leader. Yes, we are in war and how to do elections is really difficult. Not only that it goes absolutely not secured and it goes out of our law, out of our constitution, but the main thing is to have security infrastructure for this, to give possibility people to vote.

Of course, it’s up to Ukrainians when to vote, how to do it and to choose one or another person. But if to answer — on this question, I know that Putin wanted very much to change the president in Ukraine. I understand it.

And if President Trump really wants to have some changes in — during elections, I also shared it with his team.

So please tell Putin, give us two months, 60 days off. Total ceasefire, 60 days, and we will organize elections. Of course, we will be ready for any choice of our people, exactly Ukrainian people.

KARL:  It’s not just President Trump. We also heard from Elon Musk saying Zelenskyy has gone too far. Why are they blaming you for the continuation of this war?

ZELENSKYY:  Because these people can’t find a key how to stop Putin. Because it’s more difficult to stop Putin than to pressure others. Because it’s more simple to speak about the prices and connect it with Ukraine.

When everybody in the world understands because of the war in Middle East, the prices are rising. They’re increasing. They’re increasing because of the war in Middle East, of the blocking of Hormuz, because of these reasons. Everybody understands it.

And if we want to speak with people fairly, if we want to be clear, if we want to speak with our nations openly, we have to stop — I mean, people have to hear reality. Don’t play games with people.

KARL:  The president has announced this deal. He says to buy diesel fuel from Russia. You’ve called it a birthday gift to Putin. Explain why.

ZELENSKYY:  Because it gives Putin money and he spends money only on this war. Kill us. Kill our children.

I was this week in one (ph) small city, they killed, they are just attacked the building, no military goals, no, no — even something close to this building, attacked, killed 22 people, around 60 been wounded. And five children, five children, small children were killed.

And he has a lot of money, much money for this war.

KARL:  How long can Ukraine continue to defend itself? It’s been almost five years of war.

ZELENSKYY:  We need to do it, I mean, to stop this war as quick as possible. We count that United States will help us to do this. I hope so.

We count on president, his team involving to stop Putin, but to stop Putin. And I think this is the main goal to stop him. This is the main deal to stop this war.

And we count on American support. Then, and of course, we count on our European partners.

And I hope that we will save this unity, Europe and the United States. It’s not simple, by the way, really not simple. We work hardly each day to save this.

But in any way, we will defend ourselves because otherwise, we will lose our life and homes, our freedom, independence, Ukraine. Yeah, we can’t lose it. And the truth is on our side.

KARL:  President Zelenskyy, thank you for taking time to talk to us.

ZELENSKYY:  Of course. Thank you so much.

{End Transcript}