Ukrainian officials are betrayed but feel rebellious after President Trump denounced the president for Russian invasion this week.
Ukrainian officials are desperately dependent on US military support, pushing back Trump's rhetoric without destroying alliances with Washington both inside and outside the White House. And they are pleading Europe to have relevant developments between the US and Russia.
“It's painful, not easy, not easy to deal with,” Kira Rudik, a member of the Ukrainian parliament and leader of the opposition Goros Party, said of Trump's remarks.
Trump on Wednesday called Zelensky a “dictator” and is doing “a scary job,” and apparently Zelensky said he was acting on a bubble of disinformation . It was in response to Trump, who clearly denounced the Ukrainian leader for Russia's invasion in Tuesday's remarks.
Olexi Gonchalenko, a member of the Ukrainian parliament of the opposition European Solidarity Party, said the rhetorical speed was a mistake.
“What's going on, that's a catastrophe,” he said. Odessa spoke to the hill on the phone, and air sirens rang out in the background, warning them of potential Russian air strikes with missiles or drones.
“It was a very big mistake from Zelensky to respond to what Trump said… It was that Trump was in the bubble of disinformation. It was clear that Trump would respond afterwards. These I know he's publicly criticized, I don't know, that's the worst possible thing,” added Gonchalenko.
“I don't think the best thing right now is to try and find someone who's going to respond now, send a message to Trump, and at least try to rebuild a relationship of some sort. It's just that, since we need the US, that's it We desperately need the United States.”
Speaking to Kiev Hill, Rudyk rejected Trump's request for elections in Ukraine as a Russian trick to weaken his frontline position and make the country more vulnerable to chaos and attacks.
Rudyk, an opposition member of Parliament, lined up mainly behind Zelensky during the war, defending him from Trump's attacks, calling the Ukrainian president a “dictator.”
“When I start hearing these statements from President Trump, I can tell you, I wish I had to be in the position I am now as a politician. ” She was able to hear the air raid siren again.
In conversation with victims of Russian attacks Vladimir Putin – frontline soldiers, civilians hiding in bomb shelters, widows of war, parents whose children were killed or lured – Rudyk is a single Ukraine I'm trying to reassure you that it's not.
“I wish I didn't have to do that. I'm going to explain this as a negotiation technique. President Trump is trying to put pressure on Zelensky and see how much he can push.” She said.
Trump has long been trying to bend Zelensky to his will. During his first term, Trump tried to pressure Zelensky to begin an investigation into his 2020 opponent, former president Biden. That conversation led to Trump's first blunder each trial.
Trump's latest remarks criticize Zelensky and move into a warm relationship with Putin, standing in contrast to many of Washington's Republican leaders. Most GOP senators accusing Putin as a war criminal, praise Zelensky as a hero, defending him from the much larger, hostile power of nuclear armed forces.
“What do you think of Putin? Sen. Lindsey Graham (Rs.C.) said, sitting next to Zelensky at the Munich Security Conference last week.
“Remind me that I won't invade Ukraine, okay? It's not going to work.”
Graham is Trump's close ally and has recently spanned the gap between defending Zelensky and supporting Trump's outreach to Putin. Graham was behind the proposal that Ukraine would provide investments in mining critical minerals and rare earths in exchange for security guarantees.
However, Zelensky rejected Trump's first deal proposal, calling it “not serious.” Tensions rose when Zelensky complained earlier this week that he had been removed from a meeting with Russian authorities in Saudi Arabia.
Trump responded with an extraordinary vitriol. Over the course of two days, Trump appeared to blame Zelensky for starting a war with Russia. Moscow first invaded Ukraine in 2014, annexed the Crimea Peninsula, and began a full-scale invasion in February 2022.
And Trump said Zelensky was doing “a terrible job,” shared a false approval rating and challenged him to vote.
“I am amazed at the visceral reaction he experienced because he knows that Ukraine did not start this war. He knows that Zelensky is the democratically elected president of Ukraine. I think so,” said the Foundation for Democracy Defense, a Washington-based think tank.
“I think he's irritated,” Montgomery said. Trump expanded his timeline to end the Russian war in Ukraine from his promise of a 24-hour campaign. But even the 100 days he is currently predicting, the time slot may be too short to haveh the mutually acceptable end that cannot withstand combat.
“I don't think I like President Trump being proven wrong. Unfortunately, I think this is a much more complicated issue,” Montgomery said.
“The US currently has no leverage. To restore leverage, we need to retreat and take action against Russia. And his other option was to try and bully Zelensky. Bullying I think it's a failure.”
Graham appears to be trying to act as an interlocutor between Trump and Zelensky, but spoke to the Ukrainian leader on Wednesday.
“As always, Senator Graham is constructive and does a lot to help bring peace closer,” Zelensky said. Posted on social media site x.
Zelensky also focuses on enlisting Keith Kellogg (Ret.) as an important ally. Trump appointed Kellogg and led efforts to end the Russian-Ukraine war, but was not part of a delegation that met with Russian officials in Riyadh this week. Kellogg arrived in Kiev on Wednesday and first met with Andry Yahmack, Zelensky's top advisor.
“General Kellogg hopes to gain this understanding from Ukraine about what we are fighting for and how we are determined to continue fighting for it,” opposition leader Rudyk said. said. It's useless to expect us to surrender now, especially that we are all already paying the ultimate price where we are. ”
Former Ukrainian ambassador Ole Shamshule said Trump's comments on Zelensky were the country's political this week, whether Trump is generally seen as useful or disastrous for the country's future. He said it caused “shock and betrayal” across the range.
“The recent week of voices and voices by Trump and his team members undermines the fundamentals of the common position adopted by the transatlantic community regarding Russian attacks on Ukraine,” Shamshur said in Ukraine. He spoke to the hill in the text.
Reuters Reported on Thursday The Trump administration has refused to co-host a UN resolution three years later, since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine supports the integrity of Kiev's territory and condemns Russian invasion.
“Ukrainian territorial integrity, its future as a sovereignty and democratic state, its membership in NATO, steady support for the heroic battle against Russian invasion – appears to be thrown under the bus,” Shamschur said. said.
