Kyiv/Washington, August 2025 – As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky prepares for his highly anticipated meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, voices from Kyiv emphasize a key obstacle to any potential peace deal: deep distrust for Vladimir Putin as Russian leader.
Ordinary Ukrainians have grown wary of Moscow since years of violence and destruction have increased distrust between both parties in negotiations. One Kyiv resident told reporters on the eve of White House talks: “We don’t trust Putin; he has broken promises before, so nothing will change that.”
Wounds That Run Deep
Mistrust between Ukraine and Russia runs deep both historically and recently. Many Ukrainians recall the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, under which Kyiv gave up its nuclear arsenal in exchange for security assurances from Russia – promises which were later broken when Moscow annexed Crimea in 2014. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, feelings of betrayal have only grown deeper.
“Every agreement that Putin has signed, he has broken,” one resident noted. “Why should we trust him now when missiles continue to strike our cities?”
Zelensky’s Washington visit is expected to center around securing long-term security guarantees and clarifying U.S. position on potential negotiated settlement. With European leaders also in attendance, it will serve as a show of transatlantic solidarity at a time when there has been increasing debate about ending wars.
Kyiv will use the gathering to push back against calls for an early ceasefire, and underscore how any deal must ensure no repeat of past betrayals. “We want peace, but not at the cost of our independence,” Zelensky has often declared.
Concerns in Europe
Washington and Brussels officials acknowledge that creating a peace framework without trust is virtually impossible, yet robust international guarantees remain vital for building it.
“Ukraine’s mistrust of Russia is legitimate,” according to a senior U.S. diplomat, and any agreement must include binding international commitments rather than promises from Moscow alone.
European leaders tend to share this view. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, both expected to accompany Zelensky at White House talks, have both insisted that Europe should help ensure Ukraine never finds itself vulnerable again.
Kyiv Remains Resilient Kyiv has maintained an atmosphere of defiance. Residents remain determined not to accept peace terms dictated by Russia. One local resident stated, “We’ve sacrificed too much. Only real security from the West can give us any sense of safety.”
As Zelensky prepares to meet with European allies at the White House, ordinary Ukrainians’ distrust underlines its significance. Many in Ukraine view peace not as being achieved through shaking hands with Putin but instead from legally-binding guarantees that will ensure Russia cannot attack again.
“Let it be known,” concluded a Kyiv resident, “that Ukrainians don’t trust Vladimir Putin; instead we trust in ourselves and those who stand with us.