Ukrainians on Zelenskyy at the White House: 'We now rely on the support of Europe'

LAST UPDATE | 19 hrs ago

“WELL, NOW WE will definitely win. If I had any doubts before, now I have none,” commented Ukrainian Oleksandr on the conflict between Presidents Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump.

YOU MIGHT BE surprised, but this comment was not ironic. After what happened in the Oval Office on Friday, many Ukrainians were filled with pride, and a sense of dignity and became even more united around the idea of standing firm in their struggle, no matter what.

Where’s the logic in that, one might ask? How can we possibly win after President Zelenskyy’s unsuccessful visit to the US, when Washington has already started openly halting various support programmes for Ukraine and isn’t even trying to hide its sympathies for Putin?

The thing is, our belief in victory has already transcended logic and now resembles Tertullian’s Christian notion: “I believe because it is absurd.” (“Credo quia absurdum”)

Precisely because it is absurd – we believe. If we had followed logic instead of faith, we wouldn’t have even started defending ourselves at the beginning of the war, when Ukraine was attacked by a country 28 times larger in territory and with three times the population. But there are things in this world that go beyond simple mathematics —things rooted in values. And when people say that what’s happening now is a battle between good and evil, it is hardly an exaggeration.

Tertullian — a prominent Christian writer and theologian of the 2nd century AD.

So, as surprising as it may be for Trump supporters — who, after the Oval Office incident, are calling on Ukrainians to overthrow Zelenskyy — even his political opponents have now rallied around the Ukrainian president.

“It won’t get easier, but there will be no shame,” Ukrainians comment on Facebook.

“Zelenskyy didn’t bow down, he didn’t agree to surrender.”

US disinformation campaign against Ukraine

After the warm meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin at Shannon Airport, few could have anticipated such a disaster from the US visit.

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And yet, just hours later, the entire world watched aghast as a scandal unfolded between the American and Ukrainian presidents in the Oval Office. But let’s take a closer look — was what happened really that unexpected?

“The task of the American President is to demonstrate Ukraine’s inability to negotiate because he himself cannot reach an agreement with the Russian President,” argues political analyst and publicist Vitaliy Portnikov.

“As of today, Trump lacks clear political leverage to force Putin into a ceasefire and the terms that would satisfy the American President. In this situation, Trump needs to show that the problem is not with him — not that he lacks the tools to influence Putin — but rather that it is the Ukrainian President who is not ready for peace.”

British media have described what JD Vance and Donald Trump prepared for Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the recent meeting as a “political trap”.

“What we witnessed was a perfectly staged production,” says political analyst and Ukrainian Armed Forces officer Taras Berezovets.

“The goal was to provoke an emotional reaction from the Ukrainian President and thereby derail the negotiations. The objective has been achieved.”

Trump & Putin

It is known that in the early days of his presidency, Donald Trump called Vladimir Putin— which many believe has played right into the hands of the Russian leader. Given his earlier public promises to swiftly end the war and his inability to do so in practice, the American administration it appears has decided to shift the blame onto Ukraine, portraying it as unwilling to seek peace. The sole purpose of this strategy is to justify its own inability to stop the war.

It is worth recalling how Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met with Donald Trump and Elon Musk at Mar-a-Lago, after which the idea of a “Christmas truce” emerged — one that Orbán allegedly negotiated with Putin. Following this, Orbán made a series of statements claiming that it was President Volodymyr Zelenskyy who refused the Christmas truce.

Knowing the temperament of the Ukrainian President and his lack of extensive political experience, seasoned politicians had little difficulty in calculating the necessary level of provocation. And so, in the Oval Office, the same information campaign was played out like a well-rehearsed script.

The main provocateur in this situation was JD Vance. For him, this role comes naturally— just days before, he was engaged in provocations at the Munich Conference, aiming to stir up European leaders.

He employed the same approach during his meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer when he stated that the US had concerns about the UK’s stance on freedom of speech.

The tragedy of the current situation is that Putin couldn’t care less about Trump. He disregards him, whether Trump continues military aid to Ukraine or cuts it off entirely. And if Donald Trump wants to maintain even a remotely strong position in relation to the Russian dictator, he needs to come to terms with this reality.

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Nevertheless, Trump remains under the illusion that he can “pull” Russia away from China by acting in a flattering and complimentary manner — just as foreign leaders and members of his own administration behave towards him.

It is worth noting the particular style in which Donald Trump and JD Vance exerted pressure on Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Interruptions, lecturing, and raised voices — all of this reflects the deep-seated disrespect Trump and Vance have for their counterpart. Having more resources and a larger territory does not give US politicians the right to humiliate smaller allies. This narcissistic “right of the strong”— and the disregard for those perceived as weaker — is precisely what underpins Donald Trump’s personal affinity for Vladimir Putin.

Trump and Vance treated Zelenskyy as if they were scolding a child. At times, it seemed as though they were moments away from putting him in the corner — which, in a political sense, they eventually did by effectively pushing the Ukrainian president out of the US administration. No money? Then you have no right to your own opinion. Or to dignity, for that matter. This is the world of greed, power, and flattery that Donald Trump is building alongside Vladimir Putin.

“I think they will face serious problems in America,” writes Ukrainian journalist Vitaliy Sych.

“It’s one thing to support or not support Ukraine financially, and quite another to take the side of evil — Russia — in a country where a strong anti-Russian tradition is part of the national DNA.”

‘You are not alone’

And while European leaders have since strongly expressed support for President Zelenskyy in London and on Twitter in recent days, ordinary Europeans are sending warm messages to ordinary Ukrainians.

I, too, received a message in a typical Irish style from Breda and Tony — the family who took my son and me in at the start of the war:

“How are you? What are your thoughts on the happenings of last evening in the US? Thinking of ye. We all have to pray for the Ukrainian people.”

This is of course a very difficult time for Ukrainians in this heartbreaking war we have been saddled with. But we will not give up hope.

Thank you, Europe! We feel that we are not alone.

Polina Bashkina is a Ukrainian journalist living in Ireland.

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