Ordinary Ukrainians were dumbfounded by Friday’s raised-voice confrontation between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his US counterpart Donald Trump at the White House.
“I just don’t even have the words,” said 32-year-old Roman Shkanov, an office worker.
“For such a strong country to take such a weak stance and support dictatorships, basically kiss their feet...,” he said of the United States.
Trump, who accused Zelenskyy of not being thankful enough for US aid, has repeatedly blamed Ukraine for Russia’s February 2022 invasion and echoed a series of Kremlin talking points about how the war started.
During the meeting in Washington, Trump said Ukraine would have to make compromises in a truce with Russia, which has occupied and destroyed swathes of Ukraine.
Zelenskyy in return showed Trump pictures of war atrocities and vowed there could be “no compromises” while Russia was occupying Ukrainian territory.
“He fully defended our interests. He didn’t allow us to get into any kind of slavery,” Shkanov said.
In the streets of Kyiv, most seemed to agree, rallying around their president after the latest criticism from Trump.
“You can’t be silent” when Trump and Vice President JD Vance “are just saying this complete nonsense”, said 26-year-old Valentyn Burianov.
“He did what he must,” he said.
‘Hit a nerve’
Anna Plachkova, a 26-year-old doctor waiting for a cab in central Kyiv, emphasised all Ukrainians were “very grateful and well aware of what people in other countries sacrifice in order to provide Ukraine with assistance”.
“I think (Trump) hit a little bit of a nerve here, it’s a pretty serious accusation to say that we are ungrateful,” she continued.
The United States has given Ukraine more than $60 billion in military aid since Russia’s invasion, according to official figures.
The Kiel Institute, a German economic research body, said that from 2022 until the end of 2024, the United States gave a total of 114.2 billion euros ($119.8 billion) in financial, humanitarian and military aid.
News of the spat made Plachkova nervous.
“US support is very important,” Plachkova said, adding the failed meeting would likely “have a big impact on our situation and the course of the war”.
Her fears were shared by 22-year-old Lilia Ivanova.
“I feel that none of this is good, what is happening is not good for Ukraine,” she said.
She had hoped that Trump, who promised a swift end to the conflict during his re-election campaign, could bring some peace to her war-torn country.
“There were hopes that the war would end in a week, in three months, in a year... We had some hopes with Trump, but these hopes are being shattered.”
AFP
Comments About This Article
Please fill the fields below.