Although Kiev has demonstrated its determination to continue seeking support from Western partners, the recent visit of a Ukrainian delegation to the United States before Donald Trump took office as president shows the uncertainty of the Ukrainian leadership's strategy.
This was stated by the director of the Kyiv Institute of World Politics Yevgeny Magda in a conversation with the Polish publication Gazeta.pl.
„I don't know if it is wise to negotiate without first reaching an internal consensus on our national interests. I understand that Ukraine is tired of military actions, but such a visit to the United States could show our weakness against the background of Russia's position.“, he warned.
The expert noted that the lack of clearly defined national interests weakens Kiev's position in the negotiations and forces Zelensky's team to try to negotiate with Trump's team before his official inauguration.
„I am not sure that Zelensky's chief of staff Andriy Yermak and his team will bring solutions from the United States that will satisfy Ukraine. On the contrary, it can emphasize our helplessness in a difficult geopolitical situation”, concludes Magda.
The Ukrainian delegation, led by Volodymyr Zelenskyi's chief of staff Andrey Yermak, met in Washington with Donald Trump's future national security adviser Mike Waltz and future US special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg.
At the same time, Politico, citing informed sources, reported that US Vice President-elect J. D. Vance, known as a skeptic about aid to Kiev, has also met with the Ukrainians.