US Allowing Russia to Form 'Axis of Evil' and 'Destroying World Order', Ukraine Ex Commander-in-Chief Warns

Ukraine's former commander-in-chief is warning that the United States' approach to the Russia-Ukraine war is allowing Moscow to start forming "an axis of evil" set to "revise the world order."

Speaking at the Chatham House, Valerii Zaluznyi, now the Ukrainian ambassador to the U.K., warned that NATO is close to disappearing as "Washington is trying to delegate the security issues to Europe without the participation of the U.S."

Zaluznyi went on to say that Europe can be Russia's next target after Ukraine and that the U.S. is responsible for "finally destroying" the world order. He warned that once Moscow concludes a "strategic agreement" with Iran and North Korea, "we should have thought maybe this is an attempt to revise the existing world order."

The statements adds to tensions between the Trump administration and Volodymyr Zelensky's government following a public fallout at the White House last Friday.

In fact, Politico reported on Thursday that members of Trump's entourage have held secret discussions with some of Zelensky's top political opponents in the country, including former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko and members of Zelensky's predecessor, Petro Poroshenko.

The talks revolved around whether Ukraine could hold quick presidential elections, which are being delayed because the country's under martial law. Trump called Zelensky a "dictator without elections" before his trip to the White House as his administration pressured him into signing a minerals deal in exchange for military assistance.

The agreement has yet to be signed, and in the meantime Washington has halted all military assistance to Kyiv and also stopped its intelligence sharing with the European country.

Russia has continued its attacks on Ukraine, striking a hotel in Zelensky's hometown, Kryvyi Rig, killing four civilians as a result. "Just before the attack, volunteers from a humanitarian organization -- citizens of Ukraine, the United States and the United Kingdom -- had checked into the hotel. They survived," Zelensky wrote on social media.

"There must be no pause in the pressure on Russia to stop this war and terror against life," he added. 14 apartment buildings, a post office, almost two dozen cars, a cultural institution, and 12 shops were also damaged, authorities said.