On 24 February 2025, the Victor Pinchuk Foundation and Yalta European Strategy (YES) held a discussion “Will Donald Trump End the War? Perspectives and Perils of a Deal” on the occasion of the YES Special Gathering in Kyiv Three Years — Time to Win dedicated to the third anniversary of Russia’s brutal and unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Politicians and experts discussed strategies for securing Ukraine in a changing world.
Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2019-2022), started with scolding Donald Trump for his recent remarks on Ukraine and the choice of language about the country:
“To say that Ukraine started the war is the most egregious victim blaming that I have ever heard. You know, as I said earlier on, it’s like, it’s like blaming the United States for shooting down Japanese zeros at, at Pearl Harbor. It’s absolute rubbish.”
However, Boris Johnson expressed optimism about the US-Ukraine rare earth deal, saying he saw some good in it:
“I think it’s worth reading. And I think it contains the seeds of hope and of progress. And yes, it’s extortionate looked at one way. But so was Lend Lease in 1941, wasn’t it? So I say to all my dear, dear Ukrainian friends, I understand your horror at the language that you are hearing about Ukraine. I understand how troubling it is to think that this deal might be rapacious for your country. But I really think that we need to move through this phase, recognize what this deal really is. This is something that Donald Trump can say to his right wing, to the Republican Ukraine skeptics that he has secured. And I think it holds the prospect of progress,” he elaborated.
Gabrielius Landsbergis, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania (2020-2024), disagreed, pointing to the fact the deal lacked any mentions of the need to ensure Ukraine’s sovereignty:
“The deal doesn’t care about a democratic, free, independent and sovereign Ukraine.”
He also suggested Europe helping Ukraine with legal advice on the matter, making it more beneficial for Ukraine:
“We have lots and lots of legal advice and capability in European Commission. Let’s offer that advice to Ukrainians. Let us look into the deal. We can offer suggestions, we can offer advice. We have many legal experts. We won’t ask for minerals, we won’t ask for money. We can do it just for the country, which is candidate country to join EU.”
Gabrielius Landsbergis also voiced concerns of Trump’s rapprochement with Vladimir Putin:
“Putin now has President Trump where he wants him… Putin already got Americans asking for a new election (in Ukraine). Putin already got Americans saying no to NATO. Putin already has Americans saying that the reality of (Ukraine’s) occupied territories, that they will stay with Russia. Putin got so much by the only thing suggesting that he will be there all the time when President Trump wants him. Today, we have to act like his (Trump’s) goals are more aligned with those of President Putin’s,” he concluded.
Stephen Biegun, US Deputy Secretary of State (2019-2021), said:
“I think the (US) president (Donald Trump) is positively inclined towards helping Ukraine to reach a just and peaceful settlement in this war, and I think the president is pushing our policies in that direction. It’s up to us to help steer it in that direction. The Americans are very aware that Vladimir Putin does not want a negotiation. He wants Ukraine. Yeah. And we also are very aware that our investment in European security is an investment in our security“, he added.
Aleksander Kwaśniewski, President of the Republic of Poland (1995-2005); Chairman, YES Board, called on not to forget that this war costs Ukrainians’ lives on a daily basis:
“Please, add to this bill also the price of the people, of the victims, of the injured people, the divided families, destroyed cities and villages. Everything happened here in Ukraine. And that is also something that is not zero… Without that it would be very unjust.”
