{
  "id": 14728977,
  "title": "Open letter to Trump from ex-Ukrainian President Yushchenko: Ukraine's desire for peace is not willingness to surrender",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/open-letter-to-trump-from-ex-ukrainian-president-yushchenko-ukraines",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-15T15:40:44.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Kyiv Independent",
    "slug": "kyiv-independent",
    "url": "https://kyivindependent.com/open-letter-to-trump-from-ex-ukrainian-president-yushchenko-ukraines-desire-for-peace-is-not-willingness-to-surrender/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mr. President, I write to you directly, as fellow human beings and presidents, recognizing that decisions in history can determine the fate of nations and freedom itself. For Ukrainians, freedom is not merely a slogan but a deeply ingrained part of our identity, passed down through generations of Cossack forefathers who cherished their liberty and dignity above all else. We are a nation rooted in our land, with our history and culture deeply tied to our homes, fields, villages, cities, churches, families, and the sky above us.\n\nRight now, Ukraine faces a dire situation as Russian ballistic missiles, Iranian Shahed drones, and aerial bombs strike our cities, towns, and homes. Families are being killed, millions live under constant threat of attack, and the consequences extend far beyond Ukraine itself. The calls for concessions or deals with Putin only lead to more violence, as Ukrainian families pay the price for every statistic. This is not a distant conflict; it is a daily reality for millions of Ukrainians.\n\nDespite these hardships, Ukrainians remain committed to defending their freedom and sovereignty. America understands the moral distinction between an aggressor and a nation defending itself, a lesson learned from our own history. Just as economic pressure and diplomacy failed to prevent the attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II, believing that trade can tame an aggressor is equally ineffective.\n\nUkraine once placed its trust in the international order led by the United States, relinquishing its nuclear arsenal in the hope of a safer world governed by agreements. We signed the Budapest Memorandum, which provided Ukraine with official assurances of security and sovereignty. However, Russia betrayed this agreement, and Ukraine kept its word despite the treachery. Today, as America faces the consequences of its signature on this document, it must remember that agreements with great powers hold weight. History has shown that giving up nuclear weapons does not guarantee safety but can make a nation more vulnerable. In the face of aggression, one does not negotiate with tyrants; one stops them.",
  "summary": "Mr. President, I write these words without diplomatic formulas or ceremonial language. I write simply, from one human being to another, and from one president to another — two men who understand that there are moments in history when decisions determine not only the fate of nations, but the fate of freedom itself. For Ukrainians, freedom is not an abstraction. It is not a slogan written into a…",
  "key_points": [
    "President Yushchenko urges Trump to recognize Ukraine's peace-seeking stance.",
    "Ukraine endures Russian missile and drone attacks, endangering civilians.",
    "America must uphold its commitments to Ukraine, as history shows."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}