Kiev, Ukraine (AP) – In Kiev, Ukrainians living near the daily Russian bombings, they saw in surprise that their country’s most important allies deployed the Alaska red carpet, liable for more than three years of war, bloodshed and losses.
Kyiv resident Natalya Lypei, age 66, made a double take. However, the image flashing on her phone screen was real. US President Donald Trump warmly greeted and applauded Russian President Vladimir Putin as Russian leaders approached him.
Trump also ignored arrest warrants issued for President Putin by the International Criminal Court.
“How can we welcome such tyrants?” she asked, reflecting the thoughts of many Kiev residents.
Red carpet treatment, lack of concrete decisions on Ukraine, and most importantly, ignoring the importance of sanctions – a policy that could change the tide in Kiev’s favor felt like a betrayal of Ukrainians who had suffered enormous pain almost three years after Russia’s full-scale violation.
Tens of thousands of Ukrainian military personnel, the country’s brave and most skilled military personnel have been killed and wounded, thousands of civilians have been killed in the Russian strike, with five-fifths under occupation, cutting off the integrity of their families, property and Ukrainian territory.
Ukrainian social media has widely shared that Putin and Trump memes were walking along the red carpet, littered with dead Ukrainian bodies.
Zelenskyy expected the meeting to be a boon for Putin and would rarely interfere with the outcome. Speaking to reporters leading up to the meeting, he said it would ultimately be a public relations victory for the Russian leader. Above all, he was looking for photos of American soil. He got at a meeting on Friday.
It was the first time Putin has stepped into the US in 10 years, ending the international isolation spurred by the 2022 Ukrainian invasion. In other words, it was a victory. For Lipay, whose soldier’s son was killed last year, it was like attending another funeral, a fresh loss. This time, her country just wants peace.
“It hurts me so much that my child died in a full-scale war. Today we saw a new funeral,” she said. Her 34-year-old son was killed in the Donetsk region, fighting the 79th Brigade in Ukraine.
“I don’t want anybody to be sad, those sadness, those tears,” she said.
Another Kiev resident, Natalya Kusil, 60, said she was surprised that Trump failed to produce the outcome of the meeting despite efforts to end the war.
“There are no consequences and we don’t know if there’s anything, but we always expect something and want it,” she said.
Pension recipient Anatoly Kovalenko, 72, said no matter what was discussed between the two leaders, it was clear that his country’s enemy had won in the field of public relations.
“Putin won this meeting 100%,” he said.
