Ukraine is worried about Russia taking more territory in the east. The Ukrainian government is also worried about the new American policy towards the Ukrainian conflict by the new American president, Donald Trump. Trump has made comments in the past that would lead one to believe he will relieve the pressure on Russia by removing sanctions. Obviously, Trump and Putin are deal makers looking for a deal. Ukraine made clear recently that it wants to be involved in talks regarding its future, and not be some card to be used at the geopolitical, poker table.
“Because we are talking about the future of our country, we don’t want to be excluded from the negotiations,” Deputy Foreign Minister Olena Zerkal told Reuters. “We don’t want to be a card (to be played). We want to be an actor,” reports Reuters.
“I don’t believe in gentleman’s agreements anymore,” Zerkal said, noting Russia had violated an earlier deal – the 1994 Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances, under which Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan gave up nuclear weapons in exchange for assurances of territorial integrity – when it annexed Crimea.
