Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, traded rebellion for respect in a high-stakes pay to stay in Donald Trump’s fine virtues after humiliating him at the White House dressing down.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron pleaded with Zelenskyy for a change of pace for five nights. Their guidance If you don’t follow Trump’s laws, you could lose everything. The White House immediately frozen US assistance to Ukraine on Monday, prompting the urgency of the situation.
By Tuesday, Zelenskyy had made a decision. He lavished Trump with praise, praised his” strong management” and went so far as to say that Ukraine was prepared to work under him to bring about peace, in contrast to his normal directness. He also suggested a possible missile truce, one of Trump’s most pressing demands.
The praise was effective, at least temporarily. Trump beamed as he read Zelenskyy’s letter of appreciation to Congress, evoking a rare moment of comfort. However, history suggests that this getaway didn’t last. Despite earlier friendship, Trump has a track record of scheming with friends, including Justin Trudeau and Emmanuel Macron.
Trump’s closest allies, including Elon Musk and his brother, Donald Trump Jr., continue to criticize Zelenskyy, furthering Kremlin stories. Any alleged errors made by the Russian president are quickly hacked against him in Trump-friendly advertising.
Vadym Prystaiko, a former Polish foreign minister, put the grim dilemma of Kyiv into perspective: Can Ukraine change Trump’s perspective, or is it already too late?
Zelenskyy is betting that praise will be his best option for life for the time being. Some in Kyiv worry that the true final isn’t peace; it’s surrender, especially with Trump offering no acknowledgment of Ukraine’s most recent truce proposal.
