Ukraine's Zelensky clashes with Trump in tense D.C. meeting
Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko described Friday's meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky as an instance of unprecedented humiliation rather than the support and cooperation that had been expected.
Yushchenko emphasized that for the past two decades, the United States has been a crucial supporter of Ukrainians in their fight for democracy, working alongside partners to shape these shared values. He noted that this dialogue had never before occurred in an atmosphere of humiliation, making it even more painful to witness such treatment during the war. Instead of the expected support and cooperation, he remarked, what transpired was an unprecedented display of humiliation, as he wrote on Facebook on Monday.
Yushchenko noted that today Ukraine urgently needs leadership and unity. "Not discussions about diplomatic protocol or attire, but political wisdom in seeking formulas for security guarantees, conditions for a just peace, and preserving the independence of our state," he emphasized.
According to the former president, Volodymyr Zelensky is a democratic leader who is doing an amazing job and uniting Ukraine's international partners around the goals of peace and stopping the aggressor. "From the first day of the Russian invasion, Ukraine has sought peace—and it will come when the Russian army leaves our territories," he noted.
Yushchenko stated that imposing peace is a familiar Russian tactic, previously employed in Georgia in 2008, with well-documented and instructive consequences. He emphasized that Russian propaganda is now destabilizing the world, and Kremlin claims of a dictatorship in Ukraine amount to political absurdity.
According to the former Ukrainian leader, the response to these challenges should be a strong coalition of international partners who support Ukraine's victory. "Together, we can thwart the aggressor's plans and make them pay for everything," he emphasized.
"This path was never easy, but no manipulations, psychological pressure, and humiliating devaluation of the Ukrainian people should divert our attention from the most important thing: we know who started the war," Yushchenko stated.
The former president is convinced that the outcome of Ukrainian victory will determine what the world will be like in the 21st century. "We must do everything to ensure that peace is just, and that force does not become a tool for dividing the world into so-called spheres of influence, where dozens of countries will not have a voice," summarized Yushchenko.
Talks failure
On Friday, Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Washington to sign a partnership agreement on resource extraction in Ukraine, which did not happen.
When Zelensky said that America does not feel what Ukraine feels, but maybe someday it will, Trump replied: "Don't tell us what we're going to feel. We're trying to solve a problem. Don't tell us what we're gonna feel, because you're in no position to dictate that. You're in no position to dictate what we're going to feel. We're going to feel very good."
Vice President Vance also stepped into the dispute, suggesting that Zelensky should express gratitude to Trump. Trump, in turn, remarked that Zelensky does not show him respect. He warned the Ukrainian president, stating, "You are playing with the lives of millions of people. You are playing with World War III."
