Voice of Ukraine

From: Maia Mikhaluk in Kyiv (1101st day)

We are stunned. Watching this press-conference Ukrainians felt that it was not just Zelensky, but each of us personally who got attacked, lectured, yelled at and humiliated by JD Vance and Trump demanding gratitude, criticizing that we don’t love putin as much they do, Trump in his usual disrespectful manner parroting words of Zelensky, dismissing valid concerns about security from future invasion. Trump showed and expressed disrespect to Zelensky and Ukraine before, now it was on full display amplified and clarified by the context. But wait till Trump sits in that spot with putin and sings praises to a murderous maniac. He did some of that even today in that press-conference.

Our President is concerned about lasting peace that would be guaranteed by strong force. Cease fire will mainly benefit putin, he needs a pause in the war to restore his force. Zelensky spoke about his experience of putin breaking agreements. When Zelensky became a President he also had illusions that peace could be made with putin. But putin is a murderer, terrorist and pathological liar. Trump dismissed those valid concerns brought up by Zelensky and by reporters a few times. Trump kept praising himself (how many times?) and talking about drilling, drilling, drilling Ukraine’s resources. He kept repeating that he had empowered Zelensky? How? By calling him dictator, by saying even before negotiations started that Ukraine would have to give up territory and would never join NATO, by praising putin, by repeating that the USA would not be a guarantor of peace? Trump empowered putin, not Zelensky.

This invitation to Washington seems like a trap. Trump can’t make putin stop invasion, so he has to make Zelensky take the blame – say he is the one who is not wanting peace. Somebody has to get blamed for failing to finish the war in 24 hours! If Trump is so sure that putin will not break peace, why not just guarantee it, right? Trump said he was not on anybody’s side, he is in the middle. Somehow that means that he has to be nice to putin and ugly to Zelensky.

We appreciate many American friends who are writing to us saying that they continue supporting Ukraine and they were disgusted by bullying our President had to stand up to today.