Kyiv, Ukraine – The president of Ukraine has few options after last week Amazing oval office row With US President Donald Trump, who reprimanded the war chief. Now the future of Ukraine could depend on whether Volodymyr Zelenskyy can repair his relationship with the White House.
THE heated conversation which was played live on trades television American support for Ukraine and could shape the country’s war against the Russian invasion. The scene will almost certainly stick to Zelenskyy for the rest of his presidency, if not his life.
US officials said they wanted apologies from Zelenskyy, who has kept his composure in public appearances since the episode and relied on European support while postponing calls from US officials to resign. He even expressed optimism as to the continuation of American support.
While European partners gather around Zelenskyy, Western kyiv officials recognize that the sustainability of any peace plan will depend on American military support.
Zelenskyy said he was still ready to sign A lucrative mineral agreement With Trump, it could be the first step towards a ceasefire. Since the confrontation on Friday, there has been communication between Ukraine and the administration but not between the two presidents.
Meanwhile, Trump is planned To contact the Congress Tuesday with a speech that will offer him the opportunity to describe his vision to end the war.
“I am sure that this situation will pass and there are more important things to come. And if we all continue to be constructive, then I think, we will have a positive result, “said Zelenskyy A meeting of European leaders in London. “Positive – if my understanding here is correct – is positive when we bring peace for Ukraine, all of us.”
Sign the agreement with the Trump administration For part of Ukraine’s natural resources would have paved the way for more agreements on the future of American military aid and the terms of an armistice with Russia. Now all of this is uncertain.
Oleksandr Kraiev, analyst at the Reflection Group of the Foreign Policy of the Ukrainian prism based in kyiv, said that the first step to recover Ukraine American relations is “to restore personal contacts with the people of Trump and with Trump himself”, even if “it will be difficult psychologically”.
“Yes, the situation is quite disastrous. We see a lot of bad forecasts, “he said. “This is not an apocalyptic scenario for us. Relations can be restored, not because Ukrainian diplomacy is much superior or because Zelenskyy is an excellent communicator, but because there is always an economic interest in Trump here in Ukraine. »»
“As for saving the relationship,” Zelenskyy told journalists during the weekend: “I think our relationship (with the United States) will continue because it is more than a relationship of a moment or another. We must be opened.
Ukraine is “ready to continue dialogue,” he said. “We want to count on a new help”.
US officials called on Zelenskyy to express his gratitude for American support, which the Ukrainian president regularly did since the large -scale invasion began in early 2022.
“America is a democracy. The president is not the only power. Congress counts. Voters count. Mass media and public opinion. We have to work with them, ”said Ukrainian legislator Oleksandr Merezhko.
Europe has entered the gap Left by the deepening of Ukraine-US Rift. But a ceasefire plan developed by the European powers will always require American support to be effective.
“Everything is not lost. There is a chance that an agreement can still be concluded, but it is much less likely it was, “said Ben Barry, a military expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
A French-British plan for Deploy European contingents in Ukraine “Should include the presence of the United States of America in one way or another,” said Zelenskyy, adding that the United States could contribute to air, ground or intelligence support.
Stimulating support in Ukraine in case the United States withdraws aid at a significant cost for the continent, said Barry.
Europe could provide weapons and ammunition directly to Ukraine and could put European defense and industry on a war basis, he said. “It would cost Europe a lot. Whether it’s the political resolution to do so, we would see. »»
Zelenskyy rejected the calls for resignation from certain American officials, saying that only the Ukrainian people can decide who lead them.
In the middle of the criticism, there is no sign in Ukraine of public discussions on Zelenskyy who takes off.
“If Zelensky had behaved differently or if there had been an interpreter, of course, it would have been a slightly different story,” said Oleksandr Khara, director of the Center for Defense Strategies.
But David Novak, a 23 -year -old Ukrainian cook, said most of the Ukrainians thought. He said he was “shocked” by the Oval Office Exchange and said that he understood that Zelenskyy “does his best and that he is holding.”
In Ukraine, the collapse of the White House sparked another increase in unity, because many in the country have interpreted the remarks of Trump and the vice-president JD Vance as a personal affront while Zelenskyy expressed a widely shared opinion between Ukrainians-that Russia cannot be entrusted to keep the cease-fire promises.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has published a selection of photos on Instagram of Ukrainians wearing military fatigue, medical scrubs soaked in blood and fire -fighting equipment – all the symbols of the war – with the sloganiens have their costumes. ” The campaign is in response to a question asked in Zelenskyy in the oval office explaining why he did not wear a costume.
In response to the call of Senator Lindsay Graham according to which he resigns, Zelenskyy told journalists: “I can give citizenship (Lindsay Graham) in Ukraine and he will become a citizen of our country. And then his voice will begin to gain weight, and I will hear it as a citizen of Ukraine on the subject of whom must be the president. »»
(Tagstotranslate) International
