U.S.-Ukraine talks falter amid claims of disrespect
"Instead of support and cooperation, we witnessed unprecedented humiliation," commented former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko about Friday's meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky.
Yushchenko highlighted that for the past two decades, the United States has been a key supporter of Ukrainians in their fight for democracy, shaping these values alongside international partners. He stressed that this dialogue had never taken place in an atmosphere of humiliation, making it all the more painful that such treatment became evident during the war. Instead of support and cooperation, he noted, what unfolded was an unprecedented display of humiliation, as he wrote on Facebook on Monday.
Yushchenko noted that Ukraine urgently needs leadership and unity. "What’s needed are 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 excellent 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 pointed out that imposing peace is a well-known Russian tactic, previously used in Georgia in 2008, with consequences that serve as a clear lesson. 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 accountable for everything", he emphasized.
Yushchenko acknowledged that the journey has never been easy but stressed that no manipulation, psychological pressure, or attempts to demean the Ukrainian people should distract from the crucial fact: the identity of those responsible for starting the war is clear.
The former president is convinced that the outcome of a Ukrainian victory will determine the world’s trajectory in the 21st century. "We must do everything to ensure that peace is just, so 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 discuss signing a partnership agreement on resource extraction in Ukraine, but the agreement did not happen.
When Zelensky mentioned 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 intervened in the dispute, advising Zelensky to thank Trump. Trump added that Zelensky does not show him respect. "You are playing with the lives of millions of people. You are playing with World War III," Trump remarked to the President of Ukraine.
