All Eyes on Alaska
The world has been holding its breath for a breakthrough in the w*r between Russia and Ukraine. This weekend, all eyes turned to Alaska as Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin met face-to-face.
Many expected a peace deal. Instead? Nothing concrete emerged.
Trump Sets His Sights on Zelenskyy
Now, Trump is turning his attention to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Their upcoming meeting in Washington promises tension.
For context, the last time Zelenskyy, Trump, and Vice President JD Vance crossed paths on U.S. soil, chaos erupted. Sharp words flew, and the leaders left on bad terms.
On August 18, the two leaders return to the same city — this time with peace, NATO, and Ukraine’s future at stake.
Trump didn’t wait for the meeting to make his stance known. On Truth Social, he wrote:
“President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight. Remember how it started. No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE. Some things never change!!!”
Zelenskyy Responds
Trump’s statement triggered a storm online. Zelenskyy replied carefully:
“I have already arrived in Washington. Tomorrow I am meeting with President Trump. We are also speaking with European leaders. I am grateful to @POTUS for the invitation. We all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably. Peace must be lasting. Not like years ago, when Ukraine was forced to give up Crimea and part of Donbas, and Putin simply used it as a springboard for a new attack. Or when Ukraine was given so-called ‘security guarantees’ in 1994, but they didn’t work. Of course, Crimea should not have been given up then, just as Ukrainians did not give up Kyiv, Odesa, or Kharkiv after 2022.”
Ukraine’s Disarmament History
After the Soviet Union collapsed, Ukraine inherited about a third of its nuclear arsenal — the world’s third largest at the time. In 1994, under the Budapest Memorandum, Ukraine gave up its weapons in exchange for security assurances from the U.S., UK, France, China, and Russia.
Those guarantees were meant to protect Ukraine’s sovereignty. Three decades later, Russia’s full-scale invasion proved them worthless. Many Ukrainians now believe disarming was a mistake. Former officials admit they were “naive” to trust Russia wouldn’t attack and that the West would intervene.
Zelenskyy insists vague assurances are no longer enough. Ukraine now demands binding guarantees, like NATO membership, as the only real protection against future Russian aggression.
Progress on the Battlefield
Zelenskyy also highlighted recent successes on the battlefield:
“Our soldiers have had successes in the Donetsk and Sumy regions. I am confident we will defend Ukraine, effectively guarantee security, and that our people will always be grateful to President Trump, everyone in America, and every partner and ally for their support and invaluable assistance. Russia must end this war, which it itself started. I hope that our joint strength with America and our European friends will force Russia into a real peace. Thank you!”
A Meeting That Could Shape the Future
With Trump pitching “instant peace” and Zelenskyy insisting peace must be lasting, today’s Washington meeting could set the tone for the world’s most dangerous conflict.
