« You have to be grateful » – DiePresse.com

In the beginning it looked like a small symbolic victory for Wolodymyr Selenskij: the Ukrainian President met Donald Trump in front of Vladimir Putin. Since the phone call between Trump and Vladimir Putin, an American-Russian summit has been announced many times. No appointment is known so far. But after just a few minutes the meeting between Trump and Selenskij escalated.

There were loud change of words, Trump pulled Selenskij over with allegations. The Ukrainian President asked the US President that « no compromises with a killer », which he meant Putin. Trump, in turn, asked the guest to be grateful to the United States and to provoke « no third World War ».

“I know you won't win. You won't win this here. You have a damn good chance of getting out of it, because of us.  »

Donald Trump to Wolodymyr Selenskij

Trump seemed particularly agitated when Selenskij said that he would feel what Putin could do: « You are unable to call us on what we will feel, » said Trump. “You have to be grateful. You have no cards in your hand, ”said Trump. “Many people die. . . And the soldiers go out, ”said the US President to his Ukrainian counterpart. Again and again he asked his guest to enter into a “deal” with him.

Combat rhetoric of JD vance

“Your country is in great difficulty. I know you won't win. You won't win this here. You have a damn good chance of getting out of it because of us, ”said Trump visibly. Selenskij crossed his arms, tried to defend himself and criticized that after the Russian annexation of the Crimea peninsula in 2014, no one had effectively stopped Putin. He was interrupted again and again.

US Viz President JD Vance was also particularly hard rhetorically. « I think it is disrespectful to come to the Oval Office and try to negotiate this matter in front of the American media, » he said. Trump said: « If you didn't have our military equipment, the war would have ended after two weeks » and did not miss the opportunity to criticize his predecessor Joe Biden. The questions of Trump-loyal media were also absurd, for example from the right-wing extremist broadcaster « Real America's Voice », who asked Selenskij whether he had no suit.

Trump finally ended the exchange with the words « I think we saw enough » and, with a view to the press present, in the room: « This will be great television, I can tell you that. »

« Can come back if he is ready for peace »

Trump threatened Selenskij: Either there was an agreement with Putin or no more US help. On Truth Social, he wrote: « It is amazing what emotions come out, and I have found that President Selenskij is not ready to peace when America is involved because he believes that our participation gives him a great advantage in the negotiations, » said the US President. « I don't want an advantage, I want peace, » he added. “He did not respect the United States of America in its esteemed Oval Office. He can come back if he is ready for peace. « 

« Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. »

Wolodymyr Selenskij after the meeting

Selenskij, The thanks to the Americans in 2022 before the congress had clearly expressed its thanksAccording to the scandal, « Thank you America, thank you for your support, thanks for this visit, » wrote Selenskij on X. « Thank you @Potus (the account of the US president, note), the congress and the American people. Ukraine needs a fair and permanent peace, and that's exactly what we work for. « 

What will become of raw material agreements?

The Ukrainian President left the White House earlier than expected-without signing the raw material agreement as planned. The joint press conference actually planned was canceled. As continued for US circles, Trump does not rule out an agreement. However, Ukraine must be ready to have a constructive conversation. According to a US insider, it is up to Ukraine whether a new appointment for the planned signing of the raw material agreement can be found as long as Selenskij is still in the USA.

It was also due to this agreement that Trump found a slot for Selenskij so quickly. Trump made Kiev's approval of the contract for further friendly contacts with Ukraine. Kiev had no choice but to agree to the deal, but which should now come about in a much mitigated form. The framework contract is intended to follow another contract about the (actually important) details of the deal, which must be ratified by parliament in Ukraine. Trump is not interested in the small print. He now has his deal, which is supposed to show his voters that the United States are not the milking cow of Ukraine.

« Did I say that? »

After the Trump-based derailments from the previous week, when US President Selenskij called a « dictator without elections », there was even a friendlier atmosphere in the White House on Friday. Trump received Selenskij with a handshake and then led him to the White House. However, the differences between the two heads of state were open to the subsequent conversation.

Trump was at the meeting with the British Prime Minister, Keir Strander, the day before when he answered a journalist question about the « dictator » questioner: « Did I say that? I can't believe that I said that.  » Selenskij and he would certainly get along well.

« We are a security because we will be over there and work there. »

Donald Trump

The US President alludes to future US investments in Ukraine.

Ukraine and Europe will have to deal with the upturn and contradictions of the US President. Politics is a business for Trump, and those who lay the better offer will win. In Washington, Selenskij wanted to discuss the question of conditions for an armistice and the question of US security guarantees in Washington. It was clear that this would be a difficult exercise.

No concrete promises

During Strander's visit (and days earlier at Emmanuel Macron's visit), Trump refused to make specific promises for military and security cooperation. He does not like to talk about peace troops, as long as there is no ceasefire, he said on Thursday: « Now we don't have a deal. » Trump had previously excluded US participation in peace troops. Strander and Macron wanted to get American protection from the US President for European efforts in order to finally deter Russia from a new attack. But so far Trump has not been involved – at least not now. « We are a coverage, because we will be over there and work », everything he said was obviously referring to the raw material deal. China and Turkey have also signaled willingness to postpone peekeepers.

In any case, top European politics will also be active on weekends. On Sunday, Strandmer wants to gather a dozen heads of state and government for a summit to demonstrate the « joint and steadfast support » of Europe for a peace solution. According to the information, the representatives of Germany, France, Italy, Poland and Turkey were invited to the summit. Also NATO-General Secretary Mark Rutte as well EU-Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Council President António Costa should come. In front of the summit, according to his office on Sunday morning, a phone conference with representatives of the three Baltic states and Selenskij and the Italian head of government, Giorgia Meloni, will receive bilateral discussions.

New Russian ambassador in the USA

Meanwhile, Russia informed that the United States had approved the appointment of the new Russian ambassador in Washington. In a note in a note on Thursday in Istanbul, the American side gave the green light for the appointment of Alexander Dartschijew, the Foreign Ministry in Moscow announced. The current head of the North America department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will shortly leave to Washington.

Russia has not been represented at Ambassador level in the United States since October. Delegations of both countries advised on an approximation in their relationships for six hours on Thursday. The US ambassador to Russia is also to be appointed again.