The U.S. has been actively guiding Ukraine towards adopting a peace proposal that appears to somewhat favor Moscow. Yet, the brief interaction between the leaders and their ensuing remarks signaled a possible shift in discussion. The incident of a residential complex in Kyiv being razed by a Russian airstrike on Thursday is a case in point. President Trump’s positive sentiments following his Saturday meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky were met with cheers from many Ukrainians, who began to question why President Vladimir Putin of Russia would persist in targeting Ukraine, especially at a time when the U.S. is making serious strides towards brokering peace discussions.
The skeptical standpoint of President Trump, gathered after his meeting with Zelensky, caused ripples of approval among Ukrainians. Trump questioned, by his statement, the true intent of Mr. Putin, leading to some Ukrainians wondering if the Russian leader was truly interested in halting the war, or if he was merely stringing them along.
The turbulence of the day proved to be somewhat of a triumph for Zelensky and Ukraine—a much-needed spark of victory in the midst of an ongoing war, borne out of Russia’s full-throttle invasion in February 2022. During this crucial period, the U.S. has been urging Ukraine to agree to a peace plan that, in essence, appears to be somewhat beneficial to Moscow.
The plan proposed a set of conditions, including Ukraine relinquishing its vision of becoming a NATO member, and vague security assurances to Ukraine. Furthermore, it included an official U.S. acknowledgement of Crimea as being Russian. As expected, this contentious deal was turned down by Ukraine, a proposal that had been presented as the defining offer by the administration.
But recently, Ukrainians have begun to harbor a small hint of optimism that Trump will refrain from pressuring Ukraine into accepting a heavily biased peace agreement. This hope began to emerge in the traumatizing aftermath of an enormous Russian missile attack on the Ukrainian capital on Thursday, a destructive event which resulted in 12 casualties and nearly 90 people injured.
Trump took to social media to display his disapproval of the attack with a short, impactful message: ‘Vladimir, STOP!’. This unusual reproach of Putin cemented the growing hope that arose the following Saturday, when Zelensky managed to secure a 15-minute conversation with Trump in Rome.
Photographs circulated by the Ukrainian government captured the two dignitaries seated comfortably, conversing as equals. This was a remarkable departure from an ill-fated session in the Oval Office in late February, which ended with Zelensky’s abrupt exit from the White House and a temporary cessation of all U.S. aid. In contrast, the images from Rome depicted a vastly different ambiance.
An expert from the Center for International Studies labeled the images from Rome as ‘extraordinary,’ emphasizing the positive impact of Zelensky’s one-on-one interaction with Trump. This encounter, underscored by mutual respect and dialogue, was essential in framing an effective pathway for future negotiations.