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What is happening in Ukraine and throughout Europe right now. President Trump has been speaking quite a bit about this recently, with a new security plan and a new peace proposal for Ukraine. We find the headline on the terminal before we spend some time with the Foreign Minister of Slovenia. Trump gives Zelensky days to respond to a peace proposal. This is the plan that has been hashed out with Steve Whitcoff, Jared Kushner, and to a lesser extent, the
Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Over the past couple of weeks. Trump's envoys, according to the Financial Times, have given Zelensky only days to respond to a proposed peace deal, the President saying just on Sunday evening at the Kennedy Center that he was disappointed President Zelensky hadn't even read the proposal yet, because there are great concerns that this proposal favors Russia and would force you to give up part of its sovereign territory. Bigger questions about President Trump's view
of our allies in Europe. He was asked about this in his sit down interview with Politico.
Listen.
I think they're weak, but I also think that they want to be so politically correct. I think they don't know what to do. Europe doesn't know what to do. They don't know what to do on trade either. I mean, I look at a lot of the trade situation that's going on over there. It's a little bit dangerous.
That's where we start our conversation with the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs the Republic of Slovenia, Tanya Fayone, with us live from World Headquarters in New York. Minister, Welcome to Bloomberg TV and Radio. It's great to have you with us. As part of our conversation, we'll start broadly here. And the president's remarks about Europe, is he missing something that you wish he knew?
First, thank you for inviting me. We just held a very good discussion in the Security Council in Ukraine which was at points quite emotional and rightly so. We are observing the fourth year of brutal Russian aggression in Ukraine with a lot of civilian that's a lot of children, that's destroyed energy infrastructure and severe violations of international law
and the UN Charter. So everyone including Ukrainians, want to see just and lasting peace, and everyone in the Security Council fourteen countries are permanently calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. So I think it is very clear that is Russia we want to see peace, and we want to see just lasting peace. That means that the peace is also acceptable for Ukraine.
Yeah, well we should note, and I appreciate your answer, that Slovenia currently holds the presidency at the UN Security Council, so your views are important here. Do you worry that this plan on the table now favors Russia and would hurt Ukraine and therefore the rest of Europe.
I mean the negotiations are ongoing, and I of course command the US administration, Trump and everyone involved, because it is good that there is a time also for a diplomacy, for searching for political solution instead of a military one. Of course, first is as I said before, immediate and urgent ceasefire needed, and then meaningful negotiations. Ukraine has to be at the table, Europe has to be at the table.
We are discussing about strong security guarantees for the countries that something like similar wouldn't happen again in the future. And it's also about accountability. It is a brutal war that is ongoing. We see really horrible acts. I was traveling myself not long ago in Ukraine in several parts of the country. When you see young people, children being computated without lex without arms, I mean, these are wars victims.
So we do have to all do more. And I encourage the diplomacy to work, and I encourage all sites to be equally engaged, especially Ukraine, because Ukraine is deciding about its own future. We speak about territorial sovereignty and integrity. No one by force can change the internationally recognized borders.
You know, when you consider the idea of this peace plan being accepted within days, the FT is reporting that that timeline is keing off President Trump's hope to have a peace deal in place, a deal agreed to buy Christmas Minister. Is that possible?
I mean I wish to see that it is possible. I think we all wish to see a just and lasting piece for Ukraine and a peace agreement. But this is a question mostly for those that are sitting at the table. I speak mostly here about President Zelenski. He's speaking about the state and about the future of his state. That's why I say it's very important that everyone is
at the table, that the dialogue is going. But still as long as there are bombings every day, I don't see it's a good way to find the meaningful negotiations. So yes, I do comment the efforts of Trump and administration because we start talking and Europeans, but it is clear how these talks should be conducted meaningful way and based on an international law and a UN charter.
Minister Feoon. President Trump sat for an extended interview with Politico and was asked about these negotiations. I'd like you to hear what he said, and we'll have your respond.
Listen.
Which country right now is in a stronger negotiating position.
Well, there can be no question about it. It's Russia. It's a much bigger country. Zelenski rejects this deal.
Is there a timeline? Is there a point at which.
You say, well, he's going to have to get on the ball and start accepting things. You know, when you're losing. Is it losing Ukraine.
Has do you think Ukraine has lost this war?
Well, they've lost territory. Long before I got here, they lost the whole strip of Seafront, Big Seafront.
Minister Faion, and I'll ask you the same question. Do you believe Ukraine is losing this war?
I think Ukraine has high moral and it's quite an inspiration to see people fighting for their own territory and the country. As I said before, no one and I will repeat it, no one can buy force simply take your land away. We had our own history in former Yugoslavia, and that is why I say it's all about territorial sovereignity and integrity. If that is meaningful negotiations the cease fire,
it has to be respected and negotiated. So I do hope that the president's putting Zelenski a Trump will sit down and find a solution that is acceptable for peace, for security and for the future of Ukraine.
Well, you're remind us Europeans have long memories, and I wonder, even if we have a peace deal with signatures on the table and a security guarantee, does history suggest you can trust Vladimir Putin with a deal.
I mean, we are this year in eighties, year of anniversary of United Nations. Eight years ago our leaders committed to values of securing collective peace and security for our citizens around the world. I think this is a good moment to reflect ourselves where is our responsibility and maybe
to recommit to these values. I think we live in times of this terrible geo political terriblions with too many armed conflicts indoors, and we need to protect civilians, and I think this is our really more, if nothing else, responsibility.
If Vladimir Zelenski gives up the Dunbas, gives up territorial gains that Russia has made, minister in our remaining moment, what will that mean for the rest of Europe.
You don't expect a time very prejudge the negotiations and the end result. I think this is up to President Zelenski for the talks about what is acceptable and negotiable for Ukraine that is clearly the victim of this war.
I'm really glad you could join us today and I appreciate your coming to see us at our headquarters in New York. Minister, thank you. Tanya Fayon, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, the Republic of Slovenia, and a conversation you will not hear anywhere else today