By James Jonson
01/03/2025
Source
The Ukrainian President has adopted a principled position on peace and does not agree to ‘surrender peace agreements’ that could give Russia an advantage.
He is committed to a just and lasting peace which respects the interests of Ukraine’s citizens. After the unsuccessful meeting with Trump, world leaders expressed their support for Zelensky and Ukraine and stressed the need to continue to help and counter Russian aggression.
Officials in Moscow were delighted, believing that this was the final straw in the relationship between Washington and the president of Ukraine.
After a surprising clash with Donald Trump at the White House, Ukrainians have united behind Volodymyr Zelensky as a defender of his country’s interests.
The exchange, which took place in the final minutes of the two leaders’ Oval Office meeting on Friday, appeared to shatter, at least for now, Ukrainian hopes that the US could be confirmed as a reliable partner in fending off and ending Russia’s three-year onslaught.
Trump and his deputy, J.D. Vance, gave to Zelensky a lecture for not being grateful enough for past US assistance.
It was a source of celebration for officials in Moscow, who saw it as the final straw in the relationship between Washington and the Ukrainian leader. However, many ordinary people in Ukraine seemed unaffected by the confrontation and felt that the Ukrainian President had stood up for his country’s dignity and interests by standing firm in the face of rebukes from some of the most powerful men in the world. The White House meeting was expected to produce a bilateral agreement to set up a joint investment fund for Ukraine’s reconstruction, a deal seen as a potential step towards ending the war and linking the two countries’ economies for years to come. Yet when Mr Zelensky and his team left the White House at Mr Trump’s insistence, the deal remained unsigned and Ukraine’s hopes of securing US security assistance seemed further away than ever. Ukrainian social media was also flooded with praise for Mr Zelensky, with officials at national, regional and local levels expressing their strong support.
The display echoed a recent wave of Ukrainian unity after Mr Trump incorrectly claimed that Ukraine was led by a “dictator” who had started the war with Russia – comments that prompted some of the Ukrainian president’s harshest critics to rally around him.
Zelensky continues to demand security guarantees for Ukraine, recognising that a simple ceasefire without commitments from Russia is unacceptable and will lead to a prolongation of the war.
Despite the diplomatic conflict, Zelensky continues dialogue with Western partners, including planned talks in London.
Despite the tensions, Ukraine’s President visit to Washington did not close the door to further talks with the US.
Zelensky proved that he does not buckle under pressure, even in difficult negotiations, and continues to fight for Ukraine on all diplomatic fronts. During his meeting with Trump, Zelensky made it clear that diplomacy with Russia has not worked since 2014. Moreover, the Ukrainian president (even under enormous pressure) did not allow Russia’s crimes to be played down, declaring that Putin hates Ukraine.