Ukrainians expressed concern yesterday that US President Donald Trump was preparing to betray their country after a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, although some expressed cautious hope for his efforts to quickly end the war.
Trump's call to the Russian president, the first by an American leader since the Russian invasion in February 2022, followed statements by his defense minister that questioned the full restoration of Ukraine's borders and its aspirations for NATO membership.
"It really looks like they want to hand over Ukraine, because I don't see any benefit for our country from these negotiations or Trump's rhetoric," Myroslava Lesko, a 23-year-old resident of Kiev, told Reuters.
Ukraine wants the White House to support any peace talks with security guarantees that would prevent Russia from invading again.
Trump's call to Putin on Wednesday, as well as statements by Pete Hegsett, who said that Ukraine's NATO membership was unrealistic and that the United States would not send troops as peacekeepers, shocked some of Kiev's allies who believe Washington is sacrificing negotiating leverage, Reuters reports.
After his conversation with Putin, Trump also spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
In statements to Reuters, Kiev residents reacted to the possibility of accelerated peace talks with a mix of concern and cautious optimism.
“Trump is a strong-willed person,” said Grigory Bugoyets, 60. “He can decide whatever he wants, and when it comes to Ukraine, I think he has a plan.”
Maxim Zhorin, deputy commander of the Third Assault Brigade fighting in the war, wrote on the Telegram app that he did not expect Ukraine's quick membership in NATO anyway.
"NATO is not ready for war with the Russian Federation. This is obvious from their reaction to events and behavior," he said.
Timofey Milovanov, president of the Kiev School of Economics, said that the Trump administration's views appear to be largely similar to those of the previous Joe Biden administration.
Some Ukrainians have expressed frustration that the United States under Biden, despite billions of dollars in military aid, has not done enough to turn the war in Kiev's favor.
“The difference between Biden and Trump is that Trump is loudly saying what Biden thought and did regarding Ukraine,” Milovanov wrote on the X platform.
Fasten your seat belts.
Oleksandr Merezhko, head of the Ukrainian parliament's foreign policy committee, told Reuters that it would be crucial to "establish systematic contact between Zelensky and Trump, so that they talk constantly, not occasionally."
He added that Ukraine should continue to insist on NATO membership despite Hegseth's comments: "Our survival depends on it. We will continue to knock on the door... until it opens, because we have no other option."
Another lawmaker urged Ukrainians, many of whom have lost family members in fighting that has killed tens of thousands and devastated large parts of the country, not to jump to conclusions after these statements.
"Ukraine does not exist because someone had a good phone conversation with someone else. We survived because we showed the world that we can fight," said opposition lawmaker Oleksiy Goncharenko.
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Some officials, who had praised Trump for trying to build relations, were quick to try to quell what one of them described as "too many unnecessary rumors and conspiracy theories."
"We have a difficult process of fighting for Ukraine ahead of us, and we will get through it together," said Daria Zarivna, an advisor to Zelensky's chief of staff.
Olena Chiupika, a 38-year-old manager from Kiev, said Ukraine has already proven it can secure foreign support that once seemed unrealistic, citing the F-16 fighter jets delivered by allies as an example.
"I hope for the best," she said. "I would like to, because the mood is not great."
Hana Malijar, former deputy minister of defense, seemed to acknowledge the uncertainty of the current situation.
"Fasten your seatbelts. We're taking off," she said shortly after news of Trump's call to Putin broke. "We're in for a fascinating journey. The final destination is still unknown."
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