Not too long ago Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky held a very negative view of Republican leader Donald Trump, however now that the American business tycoon has won the US elections and taken oath as the 47th President of the United States, Zelensky seems to have completely changed his tune.
“Trump is an impractical person, he doesn’t know how to make peace. His running mate JD Vance is too radical”. That’s how Zelensky would speak of the Trump team before the election results.
Now, as Trump assumes America’s highest office again, the same Zelensky, former comedian is changing his colours like a chameleon. So much so that Kyiv is now even proposing the Nobel Peace Prize for Trump.
That’s quite a change. Since Trump’s reelection as US president, world leaders have been eager to gain his favor, and Ukraine seems to be leading the way. Zelensky has been especially vocal in showing support for Trump.
In his New Year’s speech, Zelensky praised Trump, saying he believed the new president could bring peace and end the conflict with Russia. A few days later, Zelensky appeared on an American podcast and said Trump was a “much stronger” candidate than Kamala Harris, stressing that Trump was intellectually and physically more capable.
Other Kyiv officials have also made efforts to please Trump. For example, in November, a member of Zelensky’s political party endorsed Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize. This move was meant to strengthen ties between Ukraine and the US.
Zelensky has also appealed to Trump’s business-focused mind. His so-called ‘Victory Plan,’ unveiled in October last year, includes a significant deal with the US on minerals – a critical resource Ukraine is rich in.
You see, Zelensky can put even a chameleon to shame. Before the elections, he overtly threw his weight behind Kamala Harris. The support was so obvious that Trump himself had to condemn Zelensky for that.
Trump in a warning had said, “Zelensky wants them (by them he meant Kamala and team) to win this election so badly but I would do differently – I will work out peace.” All along, Zelensky put his money on the losing horse, and now, he is looking to change his stance completely.
As the new year begins, Kyiv is facing major challenges. Its forces still rely on American aid and political backing in its fight against Russia. By aligning with Trump, Zelensky hopes to secure the resources and help Ukraine needs during this critical time. Even though Ukraine looks eager for peace, it is still wary of the conditions that may be imposed on it. Giving up land to Russia still remains a red line for Zelensky.
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But the truth is that Zelensky’s expectations don’t align with Trump’s agenda of peace. Trump knows one thing: Peace can’t be achieved until concessions are made. His approach might involve pushing Ukraine to give up land to Russia and stopping it from joining NATO. Some of Trump’s advisors have even suggested creating “autonomous zones” on the border and keeping Ukraine out of NATO altogether.
Speaking of Zelensky’s red lines, Trump doesn’t give a damn. Trump only cares about American taxpayers, he would care about American soldiers, he would care about American economy and that’s why, Zelensky desperately wanted him to lose the elections.
Few months down the line, today Zelensky is leaving no stone unturned to flatter Trump.
Flattering Trump is a common tactic around the world, but there are few guarantees it will work. For Trump, it’s a no brainer: There is a choice between fueling the war and pushing for peace. The choice is between saving Zelensky’s political career and saving Ukraine. Trump will happily go with the second option.