Ukrainian President rejects Trump's claims of Kyiv being 'corrupt'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected the claims made by his American counterpart, Donald Trump that Ukraine is a corrupt country at the Munich Security Conference. In his first interview with an international news outlet since the Senate acquitted the US President from all charges of impeachment, Zelensky said that he wants the image of his country to change, because “that's not true”. Ukrainian President further said that he was “very open” with Trump to mention that Kyiv fights with corruption each day.

Zelensky in an interview with CNN, “Please, please stop saying that Ukraine is a corrupt country, because from now, it's not true. We want to change this image”.

After several months of impeachment inquiry against Trump which had his July 25 phone call with Zelensky at the centre, Ukrainian President said that his relationship with the US President has not been damaged. Democrats have accused Trump of pressing the Ukrainian government to start an investigation against his political rival and former US vice president Joe Biden, in exchange of military aid worth nearly $400 million. However, speaking to an international news outlet, Zelensky still claims that Ukraine has a “very good relationship with US”. 

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Zelensky hopes to end the war

On February 15 at the same event, Zelensky had also vowed to end the conflict in the eastern part of his country where the fight between Russia-backed rebels and Ukrainian troops has killed at least 14,000 people since 2014. However, before Zelensky's presidential term ends in 2024, he has reportedly stressed that he will end the conflict. 

“If in five years, we will end the war, bring our people back, then I did (became president) for a reason,” Ukrainian President said. 

Furthermore, the Ukrainian President has also said that he wants to “start afresh” with the US President and expressed his wish of Trump visiting Kyiv. Zelensky also said that he hoped to visit White House and also expressed gratitude to the Americans for their support. 

“We have a good relationship with the U.S., and I'm grateful to Americans for their support,” he said. 

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(With AP inputs)