After a scandal between Trump, Zelensky, and Vance in the White House, the question arises: What should Ukraine do in this situation?
The Ukrainian army is currently one of the strongest in the world and the strongest in Europe. We are a strategic partner and an important geopolitical player for many powerful countries. Now, Ukraine must take a mature stance and prioritize its own interests despite the scandal. Improving relations with the U.S. is one of the key steps to ensuring that Ukraine remains a strong and independent state. As a solid partner, Ukraine must act wisely and prevent the U.S. from withdrawing from its alliance with our country.
If Ukraine pushes the U.S. overboard due to scandal, all of America’s partners will panic and start massively producing nuclear weapons. And a world armed to the teeth is a danger to all of civilization.
Scandal in White House: 7 steps for Ukraine now
I, Yana Matviichuk, am currently in Washington, speaking with American conservatives and Republicans, and here is their advice:
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Take a short pause to allow emotions to settle and temporarily move discussions to a lower level (experts should coordinate the points of a future agreement). However, it is crucial to periodically make high-level statements about Ukraine’s willingness to continue cooperation, the importance of the U.S. for Ukraine, and Trump’s initiatives.
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Immediately dismiss Ukraine’s Ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, and appoint a conservative-minded person — ideally, a practicing Christian who supports capitalism and a free-market economy. Republicans perceive Markarova as aligned with the Democrats.
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Quietly, without excessive attention or fanfare, sign the Agreement on Mineral Resources at the ministerial or prime ministerial level. After this, presidents have to ratify the deal.
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After that, “reset” President Zelensky’s visit to the U.S. If preparations for the visit face resistance, arrange for an interim visit by a key presidential ally. This person should share conservative values, be a Christian, and support free-market principles. Possible candidates could include Minister Fedorov or a high-ranking cleric from the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) or the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC). The choice should be someone President Zelensky trusts and, ideally, a fresh figure aligned with Republican values—sanctity of life, strong families, faith in God, free markets, property rights protection, deregulation, and a reduced government role. Importantly, this person should not later run for the presidency of Ukraine.
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If a second visit of President Zelensky to the U.S. is arranged, he should speak through an interpreter. This will help defuse emotions, ensure clear messaging, and allow time to formulate responses. Additionally, Zelensky’s English sounds somewhat harsh to Americans, as their speech is softer and less direct.
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To speed up the de-escalation of tensions between the U.S. and Ukraine, publicly announce plans for Ukraine to implement reforms similar to those introduced by Elon Musk in the U.S. and President Milei in Argentina. A meeting with Musk could even be arranged to discuss his initiatives. President Trump’s key issues are deregulation, reducing bureaucracy, and embracing free-market principles. Ukraine has one of the most overregulated and bureaucratic economies in the world, and Americans are well aware of this.
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Suppose any of these steps are successfully implemented (with the most crucial one for the U.S. being the signing of the Mineral Resources Agreement). In that case, Ukraine should avoid immediately demanding too much from the U.S. Requests should be made gradually as relations improve. At this stage, the priority is to keep the U.S. in Ukraine’s camp and secure at least the support that has already been approved by Congress and signed by Biden.
The current situation primarily benefits Russia. Being in Washington, I can confirm that Russian propaganda is operating here at full throttle on all fronts. Putin’s goal is to drive a wedge between Ukraine and its allies. This must not be allowed under any circumstances.
