Liudmyla Shestakova, a 65-year-old woman from the city of Kropyvnytskyi in central Ukraine, has lost her son and his wife in the ongoing war with Russia. Despite her personal losses, she remains a realist and believes that her country should consider signing a proposed deal that would allow America to profit from mining in Ukraine. She works with an environmental organization called Flora and had hoped that a deal on critical minerals between the U.S. and Ukraine could bring much-needed investment to the region.

However, on Friday, Ms. Shestakova was shocked and blindsided when the deal fell apart and felt that President Trump had treated Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, disrespectfully. She believes that with a trustworthy partner, the deal could have been beneficial for everyone, but with someone like Trump, it could be dangerous.

People all across Ukraine expressed their disbelief and disappointment over the deal’s collapse but stated that they would not stop fighting, even if America stopped supporting them. Many Ukrainians are concerned about the potential consequences of reduced U.S. support in their fight against the Russian invasion. Despite this, they remain optimistic and willing to find other ways to continue the fight.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/28/world/europe/ukrainians-react-trump-zelensky.html