Shocked by Trump Assembly, Zelensky and Ukraine Attempt to Forge a Path Ahead

For months main into the American elections final fall, the prospect of a second Trump presidency deepened uncertainty amongst Ukrainians over how enduring American assist would show in a struggle threatening their nationwide survival.

After President Volodymyr Zelensky’s disastrous assembly with President Trump within the White Home on Friday, many Ukrainians have been transferring towards a conclusion that appeared completely clear: Mr. Trump has chosen a aspect, and it’s not Ukraine’s.

In a single jaw-dropping assembly, the as soon as unthinkable concern that Ukraine could be compelled to have interaction in an extended struggle towards a stronger opponent with out U.S. assist appeared to maneuver exponentially nearer to actuality.

“For Ukraine, it’s clarifying, although not in an effective way,” Phillips O’Brien, a global relations professor on the College of St. Andrews in Scotland, mentioned in an interview. “Ukraine can now solely rely on European states for the assist it must battle.”

The German president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, mentioned on Saturday that Europe should stand with Ukraine, and stop the nation “from having to simply accept subjugation.”

“The scene on the White Home yesterday took my breath away,” he informed the German press company onboard a aircraft. “I’d by no means have believed that we might ever need to defend Ukraine from the USA.”

A direct outcome was that Ukrainians, together with opposition politicians, have been typically supportive of Mr. Zelensky on Saturday for not bending to Mr. Trump regardless of super strain.

Maryna Schomak, a civilian whose son’s most cancers analysis has been difficult by the destruction of Ukraine’s largest kids’s most cancers hospital by a Russian missile strike, mentioned that Mr. Zelensky had carried out himself with dignity.

“They gathered with one purpose — to strain us and undermine our authority on the worldwide political stage,” she mentioned of Mr. Trump and his workforce.

Mr. Zelensky signaled on Saturday that he had not utterly given up hope of repairing the connection with Mr. Trump. Posting on social media, he went out of his strategy to thank the USA, maybe attempting to deal with Mr. Trump’s criticism on Friday that he was ungrateful.

“I’m grateful to President Trump, Congress for his or her bipartisan assist, and American individuals,” he wrote. “Ukrainians have all the time appreciated this assist, particularly throughout these three years of full-scale invasion.”

On the identical time, Mr. Zelensky started laying the groundwork for transferring forward with the European international locations which have stood by Kyiv’s aspect. Ukraine introduced plans on Saturday for a joint weapons enterprise with France that might be financed by the curiosity earned from frozen Russian property.

Later within the day, Mr. Zelensky met with Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain, who has been a supporter of the Ukrainian president within the face of Mr. Trump’s harsh rebukes.

In a stark distinction to Friday’s assembly in Washington, the go to to 10 Downing Avenue started with a heat handshake and a brief embrace. It included a promise from Mr. Starmer to the Ukrainian president that “you might have full backing throughout the UK, and we stand with you and Ukraine for so long as it takes.”

On Sunday, Mr. Zelensky will attend a summit of European leaders hosted by Mr. Starmer.

Whereas a lot of the main focus was on the stunning tone and theatrics of the dressing-down delivered by the American president to a putative ally, Professor O’Brien, the St. Andrew’s scholar, mentioned that Mr. Trump’s feedback prompt that the basis of the general public rupture ran deeper.

“He was attempting to strain Zelensky into agreeing to a cease-fire alongside Putin’s strains, and Zelensky refused,” Professor O’Brien mentioned, referring to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. “Trump comes out and says that explicitly on the finish.”

Mr. Trump had shouted on the Ukrainian chief, “You’re buried there,” and mentioned, “Your persons are dying. You’re working low on troopers.”

As Mr. Zelensky tried to defend himself, Mr. Trump talked over him.

“No, hear,” he continued. “And you then inform us, ‘I don’t need a cease-fire. I don’t need a cease-fire.’”

The change, Professor O’Brien mentioned, displays Mr. Trump’s perception that “Ukraine ought to shut up and take Trump’s and Putin’s phrases.”

The true affront that prompted the spectacle, many Ukrainians and analysts consider, is that Mr. Zelensky pushed again towards a few of Mr. Trump’s phrases.

Alongside the entrance strains, some troopers mentioned that the conclusion was sinking in that Mr. Trump would in all probability not assist Ukraine. “Trump selected his aspect on this struggle,” mentioned Pvt. Serhiy Hnezdilov in a phone interview from the entrance on Saturday.

Personal Hnezdilov mentioned that he supported Mr. Zelensky’s stance, including that he thought the try and humiliate the Ukrainian chief was in all probability the purpose of the invitation to the White Home.

“The scandal we witnessed was primarily the one function of that assembly,” the non-public mentioned. “It seemed completely absurd, contemplating that we, Ukrainians, have all the time regarded America for instance of democracy and, most significantly, of values.”

Ukrainians could have been naïve, he added.

Nonetheless, many Ukrainians have been shaken by the general public falling-out in Washington, and Mr. Zelensky sought to reassure his war-weary nation on Saturday.

“Folks in Ukraine must know they aren’t alone, that their pursuits are represented in each nation and each nook of the world,” he mentioned in an announcement.

Leaders throughout Europe took to social media to voice assist of Ukraine, and Mr. Zelensky provided his private thanks for each assertion whereas reposting them.

However Mr. Zelensky did acknowledge that shedding U.S. navy assist could be a devastating blow.

“It is going to be tough for us,” he informed Fox Information after the White Home assembly. “That’s why I’m right here.”

Mr. Zelensky’s home standing gave the impression to be holding regular within the speedy aftermath of the assembly, regardless of an announcement by Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, calling for Mr. Zelensky to resign or be dismissed. “I don’t know if we will ever do enterprise,” Mr. Graham mentioned, solely days after praising the Ukrainian chief as a great ally.

Mr. Zelensky acquired a public sign of assist from the speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament, Ruslan Stefanchuk, who would assume the presidency if Mr. Zelensky resigned. “Full assist for the President of Ukraine!” Mr. Stefanchuk wrote in a social media put up.

Opposition figures additionally backed Mr. Zelensky.

“Although I don’t totally agree with President Zelensky’s insurance policies, I need to say that I’m genuinely grateful to him for withstanding this strain,” Natalia Pipa, a member of Parliament for the Holos get together, mentioned in an interview.

“Trump behaved disgustingly and condescendingly,” she added.

The trail forward for Ukraine, politicians and analysts mentioned, is to attempt to restore relations with the USA, the place protection contractors are one constituency with an curiosity in persevering with American assist, whereas attempting to shore up European backing. Mr. Zelensky may even be attempting to get a task within the negotiations for a peace settlement, although Mr. Trump appears intent on dealing immediately with Mr. Putin.

However the anger directed at Mr. Zelensky within the Oval Workplace got here towards a tense backdrop wherein Mr. Trump has more and more aligned himself with the Kremlin in each phrases and actions.

Since Mr. Trump picked up the cellphone on Feb. 12 for a 90-minute chat with Mr. Putin, he has known as Mr. Zelensky “a dictator”; falsely accused Ukraine of beginning the struggle; and pressed the Ukrainian chief to accede to his administration’s calls for, posting that he “higher transfer quick or he’s not going to have a Nation left.”

Final week, the State Division terminated an initiative that has invested a whole lot of thousands and thousands of {dollars} to assist restore Ukraine’s vitality grid after assaults by the Russian navy.

Whereas pressuring Kyiv, Mr. Trump has mentioned that he would “love” to see Russia again within the Group of seven — a gathering of the world’s wealthiest giant democracies — and that “it was a mistake to throw them out.”

He provided Mr. Putin beneficiant concessions on NATO and Ukrainian territory even earlier than the talks began, and repeated the Kremlin’s requires elections in Ukraine.

The White Home has additionally reduce funding for pro-democracy applications as a part of its efforts to dismantle U.S.A.I.D., a transfer celebrated by the Kremlin.

The Trump administration has additionally provided public assist for far-right events in Europe recognized for his or her assist of Moscow, together with the AfD in Germany.

The U.S. legal professional basic, Pam Bondi, has additionally disbanded an F.B.I. process power centered on investigating overseas affect operations, and the secretary of protection, Pete Hegseth, has ordered that Russia be eliminated as a goal of U.S. cybersecurity planning.

Washington additionally sided with Moscow in a vote on the United Nations that might have condemned Russian aggression on the third anniversary of the Ukraine invasion — breaking with allies to affix a small group of countries together with North Korea and Belarus.

Having endured years of loss and struggling, Ukrainians would really like nothing greater than to see an finish to the struggle, however not if the worth is their freedom, Mr. Zelensky has been insisting.

Natalka Sosnytska, a program coordinator on the Behind Blue Eyes venture, a Ukrainian group that helps kids with struggle trauma, echoed that sentiment. “After all, we wish peace, however solely after our victory,” she mentioned. “By standing his floor, Zelensky preserved our dignity as a nation.”

Liubov Sholudko and Yurii Shyvala contributed reporting.