While the U.S. President Donald Trump’s planned meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska has sparked speculation over its symbolism and possible motives, it remains unclear what concrete results (if any) may follow. The talks come as Ukraine continues to fight for its survival in the face of Russia’s relentless full-scale invasion, now in its fourth year. Against this backdrop of uncertainty, we spoke with Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko about the country’s battlefield resilience, its strategic partnerships with the U.S. and Europe, and his vision of what victory for Ukraine should look like.
“Any scenario that includes recognition of Russia’s occupation of Crimea and Donbas is unacceptable”
VERIDICA: Trump has stated that his meeting with Putin will take place without Zelensky. Are negotiations about Ukraine’s future security architecture acceptable without Kyiv’s direct participation?
OLEKSIY GONCHARENKO: The principle of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine” remains the foundation of our foreign policy. We are certain that any discussions on security architecture must include Ukraine.
VERIDICA: What do you see as the real bargaining points between them: a “freezing” of the front line, sanctions packages, the status of the occupied territories, Crimea, and Donbas? Which of these scenarios are completely unacceptable for Ukraine and Zelensky – and why?
OLEKSIY GONCHARENKO: For Ukraine, any scenario that includes recognition of Russia’s occupation of Crimea and Donbas is unacceptable. These territories remain illegally occupied, and we will not accept their transfer to Russia. These are our red lines.
As for possible scenarios at a Trump-Putin meeting, I see three main ones:
Positive scenario: The meeting will outline the contours of peace, with concessions expected from both sides. It is possible that territory already occupied by Russia will remain under its control and could be formally recognized as such. We might agree not to reclaim these territories by force. For us, the key would be preserving the size of our army and preventing any restrictions on our ability to join military alliances, including NATO. However, it is important that such decisions do not come from us unilaterally but are recognized within the framework of negotiations.
Neutral scenario: Negotiations will continue, but fighting will also persist. In this case, the U.S. would maintain its support for Ukraine, but the prospect of reaching an agreement with Russia would remain uncertain. This option is not the best, but not the worst either, as we would still receive support from our partners.
Negative scenario: In the worst case, the meeting could collapse or go off-track. If the U.S. withdraws from the negotiation process and abandons support for Ukraine, it would create an extremely difficult situation – without a doubt, the hardest scenario for us in the entire war.
VERIDICA: To what extent would Ukrainian society be willing to give Russia the occupied territories? If we step away from political slogans and consider that Ukrainians are exhausted by the ongoing horror, is there a chance Ukraine could agree to concessions?
OLEKSIY GONCHARENKO: Ukrainians are tired of the war, but that does not mean they are ready to give up their land. As I said, we have our red lines – and those include not recognizing Russia’s occupation of our territories.
We are prepared to consider peaceful solutions, but we cannot accept recognition of these territories as Russian. Over the past week, many different scenarios have been floated. However, what exactly will be proposed will become clear on Friday, when possible concessions are specified.
VERIDICA: Does Kyiv have working channels to communicate its position to the American side before or during the meeting? In your view, what can be formulated and agreed upon in advance to prevent decisions from being made behind Ukraine’s back?
OLEKSIY GONCHARENKO: Yes, we have channels of communication with our American partners. It is important to agree in advance on our red lines: independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. There can be no talk of reducing our army or depriving us of the right to join any military alliances. And, of course, we need security guarantees from our partners.
“The key question right now is whether Putin actually wants to end this war”
VERIDICA: It seems that Trump’s choice of Alaska as the venue for negotiations was no coincidence – a way to signal to Putin who still calls the shots. How do you think their relationship might evolve?
OLEKSIY GONCHARENKO: The location may be symbolic, but what truly matters is whether the substance of the talks serves Ukraine’s interests. The future of their dialogue will depend entirely on the outcome of this meeting. For Trump, the key question right now is whether Putin actually wants to end this war. His actions toward Putin going forward will depend on that answer.
VERIDICA: If the meeting ends with a deal that reduces support for Ukraine, what would Kyiv’s response be: diplomatic (coalitions/formats), military (strike or air defense priorities), or something else?
OLEKSIY GONCHARENKO: For us, the main priority is to maintain the support of our partners, especially our strategic partner - the United States.
VERIDICA: How do you see the future of Ukrainian-American relations?
OLEKSIY GONCHARENKO: The United States is our main strategic partner, and working with them is of critical importance to us. It’s essential not only to preserve this partnership, but to strengthen it further.
VERIDICA: When it comes to the European Union, do you expect more support from Western countries that increasingly recognize Putin will not stop in Ukraine?
OLEKSIY GONCHARENKO: Yes, we hope for stronger support from the EU. Putin’s aggression against Ukraine is a threat to the whole of Europe.
VERIDICA: Russia is dramatically ramping up drone production – from industrial factories to hobby groups where even schoolchildren assemble them. The scale is already enormous. At this pace, how does Ukraine plan to defend against such attacks?
OLEKSIY GONCHARENKO: Russia is steadily increasing its assaults on our cities. Every night, hundreds of drones fall on Ukrainian heads. In addition, missile and ballistic strikes are intensifying. Countering these attacks must be our priority. We are actively working with partners to strengthen our air defense systems so that we can improve protection and minimize losses.
VERIDICA: Defining victory: under what conditions can Ukraine say it has won the war? What would that reality look like?
OLEKSIY GONCHARENKO: Let’s put it this way: in the broad, global sense, victory means the restoration of our full territorial integrity. We will not give up any territory, and we are confident that the time will come when Ukraine regains it – possibly without military force.
That said, the fact that Ukraine has held the line against Russia’s massive army for the fourth year in a row is already a victory, because we have survived as a state. And remember, we predicted only those infamous three days.
VERIDICA: Your forecast for the coming year: how will the fighting develop, and who will have the advantage?
OLEKSIY GONCHARENKO: I’m not a military commander, so I can’t make predictions about the exact course of hostilities. Ukraine wants peace, and much will depend on the outcome of negotiations.
