KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — After nearly three years of living under constant threat of Russian airstrikes while their troops fight a grinding campaign against Russia’s invasion, many Ukrainians long for an end to the war — but now fear it could come on unfavorable terms.
Top U.S. and Russian officials plan to meet Tuesday in Saudi Arabia to discuss an end to the war — without Kyiv’s participation — rankling some Ukrainians who worry they will be sidelined.
“We are being destroyed, Ukraine is suffering, Ukraine is fighting. And our president does not participate?” Lidiia Odyntsova, 71, said with disbelief of the upcoming talks. “We are the victims. We should play first fiddle in these talks.”
Standing with tears in her eyes beside a snow-covered memorial to fallen Ukrainian soldiers in central Kyiv, she said: “I will not forgive them! I will never forgive!“
While Ukraine will not take part in Tuesday’s talks, U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said any actual peace negotiations would only take place with Ukraine’s involvement.
Still, many Ukrainians are watching a barrage of developments from the United States with apprehension. Ukrainian social media has been flooded with posts reflecting deep unease, and many remain anxiously glued to their phones for updates.
U.S. President Donald Trump last week sent shockwaves across both sides of the Atlantic after he agreed by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin to begin negotiations — abruptly upending a longstanding U.S.-led effort to isolate Moscow over its invasion. That came the same day that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said NATO membership for Ukraine was unrealistic and suggested Kyiv should abandon hopes of winning all its territory back from Russia, signaling a view of a potential settlement that is remarkably close to Moscow’s.
Ukraine, which has been slowly losing ground to Russia’s larger army, was already facing a difficult negotiating position, and Hegseth’s comments poured cold water on two key Ukrainian aspirations. While support for an end to the fighting among the country’s war-wearied population is widespread, there remains broad agreement that it must not come at the expense of those living in territories occupied by Russia or at the risk of future incursions by Moscow.
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