Ukrainians Hope To Worry About Trump-Putin Negotiations

JAKARTA - As President Donald Trump prepares to meet with his Russian partner Vladimir Putin, in Alaska, Ukrainians are watching closely.

They fear the US leader could betray Kyiv to reach a quick deal with Moscow.

American leaders seeking to secure a ceasefire in Russia's 3.5-year war in Ukraine last week agreed to hold their first US-Russian summit since 2021.

Polls by the Kyiv Institute of International Sociology show Ukrainians are desperate for a negotiated settlement to end the fighting, but will also oppose any ceasefire reached with a devastating concession.

Ukrainians interviewed by Reuters in Kyiv's central square said they were not optimistic ahead of the Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska.

Some said they were worried Kyiv's interests would not be taken into account.

"I don't believe Trump. He said one thing today, another thing tomorrow. Another day's day, in five more things. Because of that, I don't believe him," 47-year-old accountant Anna Sherstniova told Reuters on Friday, August 15.

Tetiana Harkavenko, a 65-year-old janitor, expects the fighting to continue after the Alaskan meeting.

"There will be nothing good going on there, because war is war, war will not end. Region - we will not give anything to anyone," he said.

Trump said any deal to end the war would require territorial concessions from both sides, and that he wanted to see a follow-up meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Liuboyr Yurtsiv, 26, a technician, predicted there would be little change after the meeting.

"Most likely, the results will not be positive," he added.

Valerii Kucherenko, a 31-year-old war veteran, has a similar pessimistic view, speaking to Reuters at a pizza restaurant he founded in the city of Bila Tserkva outside the capital.

Kucherenko lost both hands due to injuries he suffered when he stormed Russia's position on the east front in 2023.

"I hope peace is what we want, but we are all adults and understand that it's not that simple. Putin and Trump may reach an agreement, but it won't benefit us. This scenario won't benefit us," he said.

"We are Ukrainians, and we will defend our rights until the end," he stressed.