Marcin Wrote: Do you agree that Trump's gathering with Putin in Alaska was a alternatively sad spectacle for Ukrainians and for residents of our full region?
Vasyl Bodnar: all effort to end the war is worth appreciating. The Ukrainian side appreciates president Trump's actions in this direction. I wanted to bring back my erstwhile experience in the Turkish direction. It's hard to tell if I've already numbed it, but there have been times erstwhile erstwhile a year Turkish president Erdogan was dating Putin. This caused a large storm of emotion in Ukraine.
I had a terrible experience, too, and I was afraid that this would negatively affect bilateral relations. Fortunately, I managed to arrange it somehow, and yet something affirmative came out of these talks, whether in the form of an exchange of prisoners or the creation of a grain corridor.
Ambassador of Ukraine: for us it was crucial that president Trump established a position with European leaders, including Ukraine
So you're hoping something affirmative will come out of the Alaska meeting?
President Trump is talking to everyone.
Yes, before and after the gathering in Alaska, he spoke to president Zelenski, talking to European leaders, but at the end of the day, there are only 2 parties sitting at the negotiating table that do their own business.
Of course, specified a gathering is besides utilized to search out any common interests, in addition to solving the issue of war. But the fact that our president has already announced that he is going to Washington on Monday is any kind of incentive for hope.
Watching a gathering in Alaska, I had the impression that there was not a single individual in Trump's crew who specializes in Russian diplomacy and Russian politics, in which all affirmative signal from the Adversary is treated as a sign of weakness. This red carpet, airplanes, joint travel with Trump's limousine – don't you think that was precisely what the Russians came for, that is, after the PR promotion?
Russia is known for its propaganda and information manipulation. They will always play images and videos for their benefit. You don't just gotta believe them. But it was crucial for us that president Trump established a position with European leaders, including Ukraine, and, as we believe, presented and defended this common position. Regardless of how this gathering is seen in Russia, we believe that at least it opens the way to search the way to ceasefire.
You are a diplomat and you talk diplomatically, but you are presenting an highly optimistic view of the fact that the Ukrainians who are a organization to the war did not sit at the negotiating table, just as Europeans, who at this point represent the main military and financial support for Ukraine.
You remember the emotions of the editor erstwhile the gathering came up last week. But politics and diplomacy are about getting as much as possible. We must so exploit the situation as it is so that there is simply a ceasefire and direct peace talks.
Ambassador says what happened in the shadow of Alaska talks
Paweł Supernak / PAPUkrainian Ambassador to Poland Vasil Bodnar
At the same time, intensive fighting continues with negotiations. Before gathering in Alaska, the Russians managed to break through Ukrainian lines in the area of Pokrowsk and Dobropillia to a depth of respective kilometres. What is the real situation?
A tiny group of Russians actually slipped at the interface of 2 Ukrainian units. Through this gap they went in more companies or 2 north of the front line. It looked very dangerous on the map, but the Russians did not have a larger arsenal of weapons there. The main problem was that they cut the supply way between Dnipro and Pokrowski and Kramatorski.
However, our troops respond effectively to this situation. We know that now the Russian groups were cut in 2 by our soldiers. any Russians are trying to halt our counterattack, and any are in the lap. So this propaganda Russian intent to show the Americans that they dominate the front did not come out.
Politics, apart from having a pragmatic dimension, besides has a moral dimension that affects the condition of full societies. I think Trump's behaviour in Alaska was just demoralizing. I was right after that meeting. I wrote for Onetu a comment in which I asked if the Americans would spread the red carpet besides before Hitler. What is the reception of this gathering in Ukrainian society? Is there a riot?
Of course, agitation is the natural reaction of any society erstwhile it sees individual talking to Putin. It's outrageous, but it depends on what the result of these conversations will be. If Trump's conversation with Putin at least leads to a better knowing of the way we request to go about peace searching, that's not bad. We will find out in the coming days erstwhile president Zelenski will meet president Trump.
READ MORE: A sad performance in Alaska. Would they make a carpet before Hitler?
