KYIV: Ukrainians on the streets of Kyiv rallied around President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday after his angry exchange with US President Donald Trump at the White House.
Zelensky openly challenged Trump over his approach toward Russian President Vladimir Putin at the meeting, urging him to “make no compromises with a killer.”
Trump accused Zelensky of risking World War Three and of being ungrateful to Washington for the military aid provided to Ukraine.
“Trump finally understood that Zelensky is a president that will not just give up,” said Mila, an HR manager who did not give a second name, speaking on a chilly night in central Kyiv.
“It is not Ukraine that is gambling with World War Three – more likely we are being used in this game as a bargaining chip,” said Oksana, a business consultant.
On social media, Ukrainian officials and other prominent individuals were also supportive of Zelensky, calling for unity in a country exhausted by three years of gruelling battle.
“President Zelensky has the bravery and strength to stand up for what is right,” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, who was at the meeting with Trump, wrote on social media.
While most Kyivans Reuters spoke to said Ukraine would be able to keep going whatever lay ahead, some were concerned by the breakdown in relations between the two leaders.
“Without the arms supplied by the United States we will not win this war and I do not know what’s going to happen,” said Andriy, a 59-year-old university lecturer.
The meeting in Washington was intended to smooth choppy personal relations between Trump and Zelensky, with the two men due to sign an agreement that would have shared profits from Ukraine’s critical raw material deposits with the US.
Instead, it quickly turned into a vicious spat in front of the cameras as Trump visibly irritated Zelensky by refusing to condemn Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago and occupied parts of it since 2014.
“The agreement and the participation of the US in the mineral deal would have stabilised relations. Now it is very scary,” said Petro, a 20-year-old student.
“I think it could have been approached in a more diplomatic way, but from the individual point of view I can understand Zelensky because the tone of the dialogue with Trump and Vance indicated it would end like this.”
