Elina Svitolina asked about Trump, Zelenskyy row amid Ukraine peace talks
Elina Svitolina has claimed that Donald Trump’s decisions have “really hurt the Ukrainians” following an extraordinary row between the US president and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Worldwide attention was directed towards the White House last Friday when Ukrainian president Zelenskyy, who has led his nation throughout Russia’s invasion of the country, met Trump and US vice president JD Vance inside the Oval Office.
Many have accused President Trump and Vance of ‘ambushing’ Zelenskyy during the meeting, and the Ukrainian president left without signing a much-lauded deal concerning mineral resources in his country.
Trump, who returned to the Oval Office for a second term as US president in January, looks set to play a key role in potentially securing peace between Ukraine and Russia following a three-year conflict.
The row came just as several of the Ukranian’s leading tennis players, including former world No 3 Svitolina, arrived in the US for back-to-back combined ATP and WTA 1000 events.
Action will begin in Indian Wells this week, before the Miami Open gets underway midway through the month.
One of Ukraine’s greatest sports stars, Svitolina has played a leading role in representing her country’s interests on the global sporting stage since Russia invaded in February 2022.
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Speaking to The Athletic this weekend, the 30-year-old claimed that Trump’s behaviour had left her feeling “really sad” for innocent people caught up in the conflict – despite longstanding US support.
She said: “The United States has been helping us for a long period of time now. Our government is working really hard to still find the ways, the solutions for the decisions.
“They’re trying everything and to maybe find other ways, other allies, or something. We are just hoping for the best. We are living with the unimaginable challenges, pressure, and just not knowing what’s coming tomorrow.
“Right now, I feel like we are united even more because we feel like the United States is not helping us much for the past few weeks.
“So we have to unite, we have to help each other, for the country that we love. Trump just started and already made a lot of decisions that really hurt the Ukrainians. I’m just really sad for all innocent people.”
Svitolina has remained steadfast in advocating for her country on the world stage over the past three years.
The three-time Grand Slam semi-finalist is an ambassador for United24, the main fundraising body set up to support Ukraine following Russia’s invasion.
She has also held and taken part in multiple fundraisers to support her country and wore a black ribbon at Wimbledon last year after missile strikes killed dozens across the country.
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