(AFP) – The US President Donald Trump’s announcement to send “more weapons” to Ukraine in a U-turn from last week’s decision to halt some aid to the war-torn country left residents of Kyiv and Moscow bemused. Moscow first revelled in the move to pause the support — only to warn on Tuesday that sending arms to Ukraine served to prolong the conflict.
In Kyiv, the move to freeze shipments prompted fears for US-made air-defence systems, crucial for shielding Ukraine’s cities from Russian daily drone and missile attacks. On Tuesday, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s senior advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said Trump’s latest move “was expected, as it aligns with the core strategic interests of the United States”.
But for Kyiv resident Valentyna Minakova, the US president’s sudden change of mind was not a reason to rejoice. “He says one thing today and another tomorrow,” the 58-year-old told AFP, adding: “We can’t count on him at all, absolutely not.” “But let’s hope that he will give us something. At least what we need for air defence, to protect our civilian population,” Minakova, unemployed, said.
The sentiment was shared by Vira Tykhonenko, a 50-year-old retail worker. “I’ll tell you one thing: I don’t trust him. I didn’t trust him during his first term, and now even less so,” she said. “Because everything he says doesn’t match his actions,” Tykhonenko told AFP.
Similar sentiments were expressed by student Egor Kyryukhin, who felt Trump’s reversal on weapons shipments to Ukraine was too early to celebrate. “I’d wait until he actually delivers them,” the 20-year-old told AFP. “Trump makes a lot of statements, different ones,” Kyryukhin said.
In Moscow, many residents AFP spoke to also shrugged away Trump’s latest statements on Ukraine. “This person is mentally unstable, in my opinion,” said Ekaterina, a 56-year-old Russian teacher who declined to give her full name. Trump “makes impulsive decisions, and this harms the whole world and prolongs the situation, leads it to a dead end,” she added, echoing earlier statements from the Kremlin.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, quoted by Russian state media, said it was “obvious of course that these actions probably do not align with attempts to promote a peaceful resolution.” For 23-year-old Mikhail, who works in marketing, Trump’s decisions “delay the end” of the over three-year conflict. “I think nothing will change. In general, he’s crazy… That’s why it neither disappointed me nor surprised me,” he told AFP.
“I don’t know at all when it will all end,” Mikhail added. “It was supposed to be three days, but it’s been going on for three years.”
© 2024 AFP
