Trump's encounter with Putin: Exiled Ukrainians believe the Alaska summit is futile
In the lead-up to the historic meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, Ukrainians living in Freiburg expressed a mix of feelings and criticism, fearing that their homeland may have to make bitter sacrifices.
The summit, the first between the two leaders since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, raised concerns among the Ukrainian diaspora community in Freiburg, given the ongoing conflict and geopolitical tensions. Despite the meeting's central focus on the Ukraine conflict, no concrete results or breakthrough were reported, leaving many Ukrainians apprehensive about the implications for Ukrainian sovereignty and peace prospects.
Oksana Vyhovska, the chairwoman of the German-Ukrainian Society Freiburg, voiced her opinion that the meeting was pointless without negotiations about Ukraine. She emphasised the need for the West to show strength and strongly support Ukraine to end the war, arguing that Putin only understands toughness.
One Ukrainian woman, Svitlana Los, a 60-year-old from Luhansk, expressed her scepticism about a rapid solution to the war. She feared that if Moscow goes unpunished, the conflict would continue.
It was unclear whether Trump would adhere to the agreements reached during the video conference with leading EU heads of government before the summit. Trump stated that there were many points they agreed on, but there were a few important ones where they're not quite there yet.
Territorial concessions in the east of Ukraine were reportedly on the table without corresponding countermeasures from Russia, according to concerns expressed by Ukrainians in Freiburg.
As the world waits for further developments, a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is planned, offering hope for a more clear and definitive stance on the future of Ukraine.
- The ongoing war-and-conflicts between Ukraine and Russia, and the ensuing geopolitical tensions, have prompted discussions in policy-and-legislation circles, with some advocating for strong support from the West to end the conflict.
- The meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, while focusing on the Ukraine conflict, did not yield any concrete results or breakthroughs, leaving critics to question the prospects for Ukrainian sovereignty and peace.
