Not so funny: Trump drama makes life difficult for Ukraine’s president
KYIV, Ukraine — First the obsequious phone call, now the embarrassing text messages. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s troubles might be just beginning.
Revelations of how far Zelenskyy’s administration appeared willing to go to please U.S. President Donald Trump are depleting diplomatic capital he needs to end a deadly conflict with Russia, repair the Ukrainian economy and to improve his country’s corrupt reputation.
“Kyiv clearly didn’t win any points from this situation,” Penta Center analyst Volodymyr Fesenko, head of the Ukrainian think tank, said. Ukraine “now has to worry about how not to become a toxic partner that Western leaders turn away from.”
That’s especially important as Zelenskyy prepares for a summit with the leaders of Russia, France and Germany this month to bring peace to eastern Ukraine, where 13,000 people have died in five years of fighting between pro-Moscow separatists and Ukrainian troops.
“Toxic” is a word few Ukrainians would have used a year ago for Zelenskyy, 41, who before he became president was an actor known for a political sitcom, romantic comedies and self-deprecating charm. The political neophyte renewed hope in long-struggling Ukraine and overwhelmingly won an April election.
Zelenskyy has been in a different spotlight since Trump pressured him to investigate the son of former Vice President Joe Biden, a Democratic candidate hoping to challenge Trump next year. A July 25 phone conversation between the two leaders helped trigger a congressional impeachment inquiry.
Zelenskyy has spent the last week denying he caved in to Trump’s request and working to claw back international legitimacy, while also trying to remain in the good graces of the United States.
Ukraine’s chief prosecutor on Friday made what looked like a gesture to satisfy Trump by announcing a review of past cases involving the founder of a gas firm where Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, served on the board.
Zelenskyy’s careful explanation: He was “not involved” in the prosecutor’s decision and any future investigations will be “transparent.” Analysts think the Ukrainian leader is trying to keep his options open.
Ukraine depends on international loans to stay solvent and Russian energy to keep warm as autumn winds blow through Kyiv. The country’s weakness explains in part why Zelenskyy seemed eager to please Trump during the summer phone call.
Zelenskyy has said he thought only part of their conversation would be made public. But the damage was done.
And Thursday things took a new downward turn.
Text messages released by Congress showed Zelenskyy’s diplomatic aide, Andriy Yermak, promising to announce Ukraine would open the investigations Trump wanted in exchange simply for an official White House meeting.
No wrongdoing by the Bidens has been found so far. Democrats in Congress have said they think Trump held up military aid to Ukraine to pressure Zelenskyy into digging up dirt on a political rival, which Trump denied.
Zelenskyy had one bright spot this week: a visit from Tom Cruise, who’s considering Kyiv as a film shoot location. The Ukrainian leader showered flattery on the Hollywood star, too.