Ukrainians resist pressure from Russia—and Trump

Battered by nearly 4 years of war, Ukrainians don’t want to make big concessions to Moscow

- James Marson & Nikita Nikolaenko

Ukrainians are unwilling to accept the kind of capitulation terms that initial U.S. proposals envisaged.

(REUTERS)

Nataliia Melnychenko stood outside a residential building hit by a Russian drone early Tuesday, with dark circles under her eyes.

She hadn't slept since the drone struck her building at 2:30 a.m.

“I’ve learned over these years that Russian missile strikes usually follow every attempt at peace initiatives,” said Melnychenko. “On top of Russian attacks, we now also have pressure from our allies,” she added.

Like many Ukrainians, Melnychenko remains defiant—unwilling to cave to Russia at the negotiating table, even under U.S. pressure.

After nearly four years of war, Ukrainians are bruised but still standing on the battle field. The bravery and resilience of Ukrainians in resisting their giant neighbor's invasion is now stymieing the Trump administration’s attempts to offer big concessions to Moscow in return for a halt in the fighting. Ukrainians are unwilling to accept the kind of capitulation terms that initial U.S. proposals envisaged, which would have handed Russia a victory that it hasn’t won on the battlefield.

Giving up territory “won’t stop the occupier’s appetite,” said 51-year-old Herman Hiso, who was taking a video off lags installed in central Kyiv to commemorate fallen Ukrainian soldiers.

“It would signal to all dictators and aggressors that you can invade, kill, steal, and then the world will force the victim to accept it. That’s what they're pushing on us now,” said Hiso, who had to close his restaurant in Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine because of the war.