Friday was one of the wildest days yet of President Donald Trump’s second term, and things aren’t slowing down. If you missed the fireworks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky set off an argument in the Oval Office when he interjected during a presser to publicly interrogate Vice President JD Vance while making clear he has no intention of negotiating a ceasefire.
SEE: Zelensky Attempts Oval Office Grandstanding, Finds Out Trump and Vance Don’t Play That Game
While that was the point where things truly touched off, the wider context was over 40 minutes of the Ukrainian president being antagonistic and dismissive of American concerns. As I wrote in my reaction piece, I have no idea what Zelensky was thinking with his approach. It’s not controversial to suggest he lacks the leverage to make such a play, especially in a way that could be perceived as trying to use the press to bully the president. At the very least, disagreements on the use of diplomacy should be left behind closed doors.
After the meeting ended, Trump flew to Florida while Zelensky headed to London, leaving no clear path toward reigniting talks with the White House. The Ukrainian president did release a series of posts on social media about the situation. Unfortunately, I’m not sure they are going to help matters.
He opened by thanking the American people for their support but then seemed to contradict himself multiple times while still demanding more from the Trump administration.
ZELENSKY: America’s help has been vital in helping us survive, and I want to acknowledge that. Despite the tough dialogue, we remain strategic partners. But we need to be honest and direct with each other to truly understand our shared goals.
It’s crucial for us to have President Trump’s support. He wants to end the war, but no one wants peace more than we do. We are the ones living this war in Ukraine. It’s a fight for our freedom, for our very survival.
As President Reagan once said, ‘Peace is not just the absence of war’. We’re talking about just and lasting peace – freedom, justice, and human rights for everyone. A ceasefire won’t work with Putin. He has broken ceasefires 25 times over the last 10 years. A real peace is the only solution.
If the goal is to bring everyone back to the table, this is going to have the opposite effect. I’m going to let Zelensky in on a little secret: Trump is far more malleable than either his critics or greatest admirers will ever admit. In almost any situation, all he’s looking for is someone who is willing to talk.
Take the mineral rights deal as an example. What started as a fairly good deal for the United States was watered down into a highly favorable agreement for Ukraine over the last week, and Trump was still willing to sign it and smile for the cameras. The same is true of ceasefire negotiations.
What blew up the meeting in the Oval Office wasn’t so much any personal sleight, though that was the juicy part for the media. It was that Zelensky undermined Trump by publicly denouncing any possibility of a ceasefire. Again, all the president wants is to get to the table. Disagreements about the details can be hashed out when the time comes, and Ukraine would maintain the ability to reject any deal it didn’t like.
That’s what makes Zelensky’s ploy so counterproductive. What does “real peace” even mean if he’s going to say a ceasefire is off the table? That’s nonsensical on its face, as no one can articulate a path to total victory for Ukraine given its manpower issues (which can not be solved with more money). At some point, there has to be a negotiated peace, and Russian President Vladamir Putin is not stepping down anytime soon.
ZELENSKY: We are ready to sign the minerals agreement, and it will be the first step toward security guarantees. But it’s not enough, and we need more than just that. A ceasefire without security guarantees is dangerous for Ukraine. We’ve been fighting for three years, and Ukrainian people need to know that America is on our side.
I cannot change Ukraine’s position on Russia. The Russians are killing us. Russia is the enemy, and that’s the reality we face. Ukraine wants peace, but it must be a just and lasting peace. For that, we need to be strong at the negotiation table. Peace can only come when we know we have security guarantees, when our army is strong, and our partners are with us.
We want peace. That’s why I came to the United States, and visited President Trump. The deal on minerals is just a first step toward security guarantees and getting closer to peace. Our situation is tough, but we can’t just stop fighting and not having guarantees that Putin will not return tomorrow.
Again, this is so counterproductive. Ukraine is not in a position to make public demands like this. Whether you agree or disagree with Trump, he does not see great strategic importance for the United States in this war. He does not believe Russia will roll through NATO-backed Europe and across the Atlantic. Because of that, continuing to try to play hardball with him is a losing strategy.
“Security guarantees” appears to be a euphemism for NATO membership or some other involvement of American troops in the war to combat Russian aggression. I understand why Zelensky would want that, given the dire straits his country is in, but that is not going to happen. Continuing to use the public sphere as a place to make such demands of Trump is only going to push the American president further away.
ZELENSKY: Europe is ready for contingencies and to help fund our large army. We also need the US role in defining security guarantees –what kind, what volume, and when. Once these guarantees are in place, we can talk with Russia, Europe, and the US about diplomacy. War alone is too long, and we don’t have enough weapons to push them out entirely.
Is Europe ready? Because right now, it is spending more on Russian oil and natural gas than it is on financial aid to Ukraine. European leaders are great at tweeting. They are much worse at leading. Regardless, America does not owe Ukraine security guarantees, as in active military involvement (which is clearly what Zelensky is asking for).
ZELENSKY: I want the US to stand more firmly on our side. This is not just a war between our two countries; Russia brought this war onto our territory and into our homes. They are wrong because they disrespected our territorial integrity.
All Ukrainians want to hear a strong US position on our side. It’s understandable the US might look for dialogue with Putin. But the US has always spoken about ‘peace through strength’. And together we can take strong steps against Putin.
Our relationship with the American president is more than just two leaders; it’s a historic and solid bond between our peoples. That’s why I always begin with words of gratitude from our nation to the American nation.
American people helped save our people. Humans and human rights come first. We’re truly thankful. We want only strong relations with America, and I really hope we will have them.
The suggestion that the US hasn’t stood firmly enough on Ukraine’s side, even after giving somewhere in the range of $200 billion in aid while also enacting sanctions on Russia, is not going to be a good thing for relations with the White House. In short, Zelensky needs to stop talking because Trump does not respond to public pressure like this. On the contrary, it causes him to recoil, and like it or not, America doesn’t have another presidential election for almost four years.
Ukraine needs a new diplomatic strategy, and it needs it in a hurry. Joe Biden is not around anymore, and Zelensky needs to accept that if he is to garner anything positive for his country. Tweet storms just reiterating his demands aren’t going to accomplish anything.
