Last weekend, there were again Russian attacks on Ukraine. They resulted in many deaths in cities such as Kharkov and Kherson, where a kindergarten was brutally attacked. People also died in the capital, Kiev. Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin has been waging a full-scale war in Ukraine for almost four years, and in the very east of the country it has been going on since 2014. In these tragic circumstances, we ask Oleksandr Matviychuk about the future of Ukraine,
Felix Rupprecht: Vladimir Putin's meeting with Donald Trump has been canceled. US sanctions are to come into force. Why is Donald Trump losing patience with Moscow right now?
Oleksandr Matviychuk: Putin does not want peace, he wants to achieve his goals. He pretends to Trump that he wants to negotiate. Putin has been lying since 2014, when he said there were no Russian soldiers in Crimea. He lied in 2022 when he said he was not preparing an invasion of Ukraine. And now he lies again and says he wants peace. Putin is only pretending to be ready to negotiate.
Another terrible night has just passed for Ukraine, with ballistic missiles and attacks on critical infrastructure leaving Ukrainians having to live without heating and electricity in the winter. The International Criminal Court also recognizes attacks on civilian infrastructure as crimes against humanity.
Oleksandr Matwiychuk at the 8th Ukrainian Women's Congress. Kyiv, November 5, 2024Volodymyr Tarasov / Ukrinform / PAP
“The only question is how to convince Putin to end this war.”
What are your expectations regarding Donald Trump's announcements regarding the imposition of sanctions on the Russian oil and gas industry?
President Trump can end this damn war, he has influence. Putin, like any dictator, only understands power, and Trump must now demonstrate it. The red carpet doesn't work like in Alaska.
United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, August 15, 2025.The White House / PAP
Do Ukrainians trust Trump?
The only question is how Putin can be convinced to end this war. The United States, the European Union and Ukraine must answer this question quickly because people in Ukraine continue to die. We are still waiting for the US and the EU to finally introduce sanctions and freeze Russian assets.
“If we stop fighting, we will be occupied. And then Ukraine will be dead.”
What is life like in Kiev during the resistance against Putin, with all these threats becoming more and more real?
Normal life was ruined moment by moment and has been like this for almost four years. When we go to bed, we don't know what will happen the next day. People die every night, it's like a lottery.
Rescuers work at the site of a Russian attack in Kiev, October 26, 2025.PAP/EPA/SERGEY DOLZHENKO
On the other hand, we don't have the luxury of being able to afford to be tired. If we stop fighting, we will be occupied. And then Ukraine will be dead. Putin says there is no Ukrainian culture, language, or nation. That's why they kidnap children and teach them in re-education camps that they are Russians.
Ukraine has been fighting so bravely for the freedom of the entire West for years. How long will this be possible? What do we need to contribute as Europe in the future?
Ukrainians are much more resilient than they think. But that doesn't mean Europe and the US should take it for granted. Countries like Russia always want to grow and become more powerful. Europe also needs to finally understand this and do something about it. Only then can we stop Putin
