President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky is not prepared to travel to the United States for the inauguration of the newly elected leader Donald Trump, scheduled for January 20, without an invitation. He
shared this in an interview with Lex Fridman, published on Sunday, January 5. "I would like to. Of course, I will be watching what is happening right now, because there are difficult, escalating moments, a lot of rockets, etc. But, honestly, I cannot come, especially during a war, unless President Trump invites me directly. It’s just not appropriate," emphasized the Ukrainian leader. He added that some leaders might attend the inauguration of the U.S. president without an invitation, although, as a rule, heads of state are not invited to such ceremonies. However, he stressed that he is not one of those politicians who would attend on their own initiative. "For me, this is very difficult. I am the kind of person who, you know, cannot visit without an invitation," added the head of state. The inauguration of the elected U.S. president will take place on January 20, 2025. Trump will take the oath at the Capitol, and various events celebrating the start of his second term will follow throughout the day. Previously, Trump stated that he has not yet invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to his inauguration but would be pleased to have him attend. Inaugurations typically invite ambassadors and other diplomats; records from the U.S. State Department indicate that foreign leaders have never attended the power transfer ceremony. Reports earlier indicated that
Trump invited Chinese leader Xi Jinping to his inauguration in January, but he
is unlikely to attend. At the same time, Trump stated that he
has not invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to his inauguration but added that if Zelensky wishes to come, he would be welcomed with pleasure.