Whether Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky’s decision to patch up relations with his US counterpart Donald Trump is wise depends on who you ask in Ukraine.
“A very bad decision,” remarked blogger and army serviceman Yuriy Kasyanov, who thinks the US “won’t help Ukraine with anything” after this mineral deal is signed.
“The president behaved with dignity” said former MP Boryslav Bereza, who described Zelensky’s softening of tone as an “apology”.
Last night, Ukraine’s leader gave his evening address from the courtyard outside Kyiv’s Presidential Office. It was the same spot where he gave the now famous “we are all here” speech with his cabinet on the second day of Russia’s invasion.
Back then, he’d turned down offers to leave. Many in the West expected Russia to be in the capital within days, with the president being captured or killed.
Three years on, it seems his choice to keep fighting has gradually been taken away from him.
He said he was ready to work under Trump’s “strong leadership” and that it was “time to make things right”.
Washington’s hostile rhetoric, that Oval Office meeting and the “pausing” of US military aid have forced him to bend to Trump’s peace vision.
Up until last week, Zelensky had held firm that Ukraine would only agree to peace if its security was guaranteed, otherwise it would fight on.
He also accused Trump of living in a “disinformation space” after the US president repeated some of Moscow’s claims.
All of this served as a prelude to Friday’s fiery exchange with Trump and US Vice-President JD Vance, who accused Zelensky of having “disrespected” the US and ultimately told him to leave.
The Ukrainian leader had a warmer reception from European leaders at the weekend – but while they pledged to help secure Ukraine in the future, they made clear peace would still require US involvement.
Then, on Tuesday, Trump paused US military aid to Ukraine, raising concerns it may only be able to hold out for a matter of months – and leaving Zelensky to make his peace with the situation.
In a letter to the US president, he even gave specifics on what the first stage of a peace process could involve, including a naval and aerial ceasefire – proposals first suggested by France’s President Emmanuel Macron over the weekend.
Trump said he appreciated the letter, in a sign of cooling tensions between the two leaders, and that Zelensky had agreed to strike a peace deal.
What is more telling is Zelensky’s willingness now to sign a mineral deal without the security guarantees he is hoping for – and had portrayed as essential until very recently.
The US has suggested the presence of US companies mining for natural resources would be enough to put Russia off breaking a ceasefire. However, American businesses didn’t exactly put Moscow off from launching its full-scale invasion.
What’s even more telling are the lack of compromises Russia would seemingly have to make in any peace agreement.
Perhaps Zelensky has run out of political road, and with his European allies acknowledging that they still need the US, Washington seems still to be the only place for him to turn to.
