Abdelrahman
Liudmyla Shestakova has endured immense loss due to the ongoing conflict — her son and daughter-in-law tragically died together on the battlefield. Yet, like many residents in this central Ukrainian mining area, she remains pragmatic. Since former President Trump proposed a potential agreement, she has considered the merits of a deal that could provide the United States with a stake in Ukraine’s mining sector.
At 65, Ms. Shestakova, an active member of the environmental organization Flora in Kropyvnytskyi, had hoped that an agreement focused on critical minerals between the U.S. and Ukraine would attract much-needed investment to her community.
However, on the evening of the announcement, Ms. Shestakova, like many Ukrainians, found herself stunned and disheartened by the breakdown of the deal, feeling that President Trump treated Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky almost like a subordinate who failed to show proper deference.
“In partnerships with reliable allies, this could have been a mutually advantageous arrangement,” stated Ms. Shestakova, who previously led Flora and currently serves on its supervisory board. “However, with someone like Trump, it could pose real risks.”
People across Ukraine expressed their disappointment on Friday night, yet many affirmed their determination to continue their struggle, regardless of American involvement.
“It will be challenging, but we will persist,” said Iryna Tsilyk, 42, a poet and filmmaker in Kyiv, whose husband is serving in the military. “Today, I took pride in my president and my country. I’m not sure the Americans can say the same.”
