By Matthew Grace
Ukraine and the US both seek peace, “but that is where the consensus seems to end”. For Trump blinded by his “battlefield realities” claim, shortsightedly sees Russia retaining the Ukrainian land it has seized since 2014. Ukraine on the other hand wants genuine and meaningful security guarantees that would adequately prevent another invasion. Trump has flatly stated Ukraine would be prohibited from accession to NATO, which has fostered feelings of betrayal by Ukraine, as it has fought and suffered through three years of war to be dealt an “especially tough hand” by her biggest ally. NATO and EU allies have stressed that Europe must not be cut from the peace negotiations after Trump’s claims of face-to-face peace talks with Russia. Furthermore, Trump stated, “it’s up to Europe to protect itself and Ukraine from whatever Russia might do next,” reinforcing the idea that Trump’s version of peace is solely a US exit from its involvement in the conflict. The EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas commented in response, “We shouldn’t take anything off the table before the negotiations have even started, because it plays to Russia’s court…why are we giving them everything that they want before the negotiations have been started? It’s appeasement. It has never worked”.
Unlike European and Ukrainian leadership, many Ukrainians are disheartened by the war. Ukrainian fisherman Oleksandr Bezhan, who lives nine miles from the frontlines told BBC News, “the border wouldn’t depend upon us…it probably won’t work out, but Seoul is 30km from North Korea, and they somehow live and prosper.” Other Ukrainians have little hope for Ukraine’s future as “politicians talk about talks, [while] Ukrainians continue to fight and die”. The widow of a recently fallen Ukrainian soldier said, “I don’t have hope for a ceasefire…they just keep sending more and more of our boys to the front. If only they could find some way to end it”. President Volodymir Zelensky insisted he would not agree to any terms that do not include Ukraine, but it cannot be denied that for many Ukrainians, peace would be welcomed sooner than later, even if it meant some concessions.
The Patterson Journal of International Affairs 
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