Photo: Andreas Stroh
After one of the bloodiest shellings of Kyiv in recent months, residents of the capital are speaking out: it is impossible to negotiate with Putin, and Donald Trump’s promises to end the war quickly are nothing more than a political fantasy. The Kyiv Independent writes about this.
On 13 April, Russia launched a missile attack on a residential building in the Desnianskyi district of Kyiv. Seven people were killed, including an 11-year-old girl. Many of the residents survived only by a miracle.
“Weapons are the only thing that protects us. If we stop resisting, we will simply be destroyed. We see this every day,” says Svitlana, a resident of a house that was destroyed by a rocket.
Against the backdrop of this blow, Trump’s new statements are causing shock and anger among Kyiv residents. The former US president, who is preparing for the 2024 elections, has repeatedly stated that he could end the war “in 24 hours” if he becomes president again. However, he has not made any details of this “plan” public.
“This is unreal. War is not a TV show, it’s a reality where we hide in corridors to the sound of sirens,” said Artem, a volunteer from Kyiv.
Ukraine is not a bargaining chip
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has already responded to such statements: “Ukraine will not agree to a ‘freeze’ on the war or the loss of territory. In turn, Western allies emphasise that a prerequisite for peace must be the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
However, populism is on the rise in the West, and more and more politicians are trying to play on the public’s fatigue with the war.
“Let Trump come to Kyiv and look into the eyes of the parents of the victims. Maybe then he will understand that there are no negotiations with terrorists,” says Iryna, the grandmother of the murdered child.
Despite everything, Ukraine continues to fight. But without clear and stable support from the West – particularly the United States – the situation on the frontline is getting more complicated. The new US aid package, which has long been blocked in Congress, is critical to deterring new Russian offensives.
Sirens are sounding in Kyiv, and ordinary people are speaking the truth that the world needs to hear:
“Peace is not an agreement with the aggressor. Peace is a victory over it.”
