Ten months ago when Donald Trump was elected president of the United States, Viatcheslav, Ukrainian soldier on the front, hoped to see the Russian invasion of his country ends quickly.
But today, There is no more hope, there are just expectations
let go of the 36 -year -old soldier interviewed by theAFP In the eastern region of Donetsk, a priority target of the Kremlin and epicenter of the fighting.
Before his return to the White House, the American president had boasted of being able to put an end to three years of Russian invasion in 24 hours
.
But his ambitions were shot by the failure of three cycles of peace talks between kyiv and Moscow recently organized in Türkiye.
In recent days, the diplomatic ballet has intensified with the announcement of a meeting between Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, scheduled for Alaska on Friday.
This summit will take place a priori without the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, aroused concerns about the possibility that a agreement concluded without Ukraine, forcing it to give in Russia portions of its territory.
A situation inappropriate
for Dmytro, a soldier also met by theAFP in the Donetsk region. This is a question concerning Ukraine. This is our future.
An exchange of territories mentioned
One of the solutions mentioned by Washington, without further details, would be an exchange of territories between kyiv and Moscow. A proposal swept by kyiv and its European allies.
Donald Trump said on Monday on Monday upset
by this Ukrainian refusal. Because there will be exchanges of territories
he insisted.
The meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, who took place at the White House last February, had turned to vinegar. (Archives photo)
Photo : Reuters / Brian Snyder
An exchange that will not change anything
Selon Dmytro. It will suspect war, perhaps under certain conditions, but it will give Russia a chance to regroup and not make the mistakes it made at the beginning of 2022
when the invasion of Ukraine is launched, he said.
We understand that we will not be able to recover what we have lost, but we will fight for each piece of our land
he continues, at any cost
.
Anatoliï, a 28 -year -old voluntary commitment questioned in the city of Kramatorsk, in the Donetsk region, shares the same thought. For him, the American president and his Russian counterpart will agree between them, then present to Ukraine a fait accompli
.
Trump will say: “I’m too cool, I have entered into an agreement, let’s implement it”. But what kind can there be without our participation? It’s a bit of a bazaar.
The fighting continues
About twenty kilometers away, the fighting continues to rage on the forehead. Russian troops, more numerous, have been attacking for months and snacking on the ground. In recent hours, they have even carried out a breakthrough of several kilometers in a strategic sector in the Donetsk region, northeast of the city of Pokrovsk, according to the Ukrainian army and analysts.
Russia’s bombings on the country, almost daily, have not ceased either.
A resident leaves the scene of a building affected by a Russian drone shot in the city of Bilozerske, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine. (Archives photo)
Photo: Reuters / Oleksandr Ratushniak
In kyiv, the capital, which underwent intense Russian attacks at the end of July, the state of mind of civilians is hardly different from that of the soldiers. Oleksiï Vadovytchenko believes that it is not necessary nothing to expect from these negotiations
. There have already been enough and they have never resulted in concrete results
explains this 38 -year -old man, dressed in military colors.
As for the idea of exchanging territories, even ask the question is inappropriate and incorrect
he says. Because, according to him, the fact that the territories candidates for the exchange are temporarily occupied
by Russian troops Do not make them Russian
.
Valentyn, a 22 -year -old Kievian who preferred to silence his last name, is fatalistic: Even if there is peace, it will be temporary
he said. In a year, two or three years, there will be a new attack
Russian.
Monday, Volodymyr Zelensky called, on his social networks, not to give in to the requirements of Vladimir Putin. Concessions do not persuade a killer
he said.