Editor’s Note: Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky find themselves at the center of a political scandal in the United States. The scandal stems from reports that Trump pressured Zelensky to investigate his likely opponent in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, former Vice President Joe Biden, during a July phone call.
The Kyiv Post asked people in Kyiv how Zelensky should respond to such pressure from Trump. We spoke with passers-by just hours before the White House released the memorandum on the call, confirming many reports about its contents.
Tamara Shevchuk, a financial consultant (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)
Tamara Shevchuk
financial consultant
“Presidents are people who have come to their positions with certain experience. So, I do not think that one president can pressure another one, unless they have some leverage for such pressure. I think that nobody is going to put pressure (on Zelensky). And I think this is clever U.S. politics to influence Trump in some manner. Which means they are looking for ways to remove Trump.”
Maryna Lyudvychenko, a PR and marketing manager (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)
Maryna Lyudvychenko
PR and marketing manager
“I think that we always have an infinite number of choices. And the question is what choice we make and what choice we permit ourselves to make. The same goes for the president. I do not think I am a super expert in this field, but still I believe that there are examples of countries which have prevailed in more difficult situations — for example, Singapore and many others.”
Vyacheslav Strichko, an artist (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)
Vyacheslav Strichko
artist
“If you are a president, all your dealings must be public. Nothing should remain secret, either with Trump or Zelensky. So both of them are wrong if such a conversation has happened. No undercover agreements can take place because their countries depend on them. If you act as your country’s face and your nation provides you with such (great) trust, you must be an open person. If one of them gets impeached or anything, it is the people who have the right to decide. But everybody forgets about the people. They (politicians) raise themselves up high and start calling themselves ‘respectable people.’ But it is still an open question whether they are respectable or not. It is the people who have elected them, who must respect them. Instead, they (politicians) are surrounding themselves with those who bow down to them. And these are the ones feeding them with their own truth, not with the truth of the people. And the (politicians) are not heeding what the people say.”
Ruslan Gutnikov, a marketing strategist (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)
Ruslan Gutnikov
marketing strategist
“I do not know the details of what they have spoken about. But President Trump remains a legitimate president of the United States. At this moment, he represents the people of the United States. In fact, they have an opportunity to discuss any politically important issues of support or no support. Even if Trump has a position in which Ukraine stands in some paradigm of the ‘Russian world,’ Trump has to air his position. A dialogue has to start somewhere, anyway. And any talk is always better than its absence. It is not totally correct for us to advise the president because he has become the president the way he is. He can behave the way he feels. That is what the people feel now, because he has received a certain cart blanche from the people. So, he has to make use of it. This is not an issue of speaking the way the majority speaks or the way the majority sees (the situation).”
Eric Siweck, an independent contractor in Ukraine (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)
Eric Siweck
independent contractor
“I think he has acted admirably so far, from what I have read. One of the ministers said there was no impropriety in conversation, that there was no pressure. Perhaps, if President Zelensky would affirm or contradict that particular statement, it might have some bearing. So far, he has said nothing. Trump has denied it. And I believe he even is going to release the transcript of the conversation. I think, if the transcript is released, if the president can back up what he is saying, then President Zelensky has acted admirably so far. If there is some impropriety, the transcripts will show that. What else can you do?”
Dmitriy Shchelkanov, a mining and metallurgy specialist (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)
Dmitriy Shchelkanov
mining and metallurgy specialist
“I believe he should behave himself as required of him. But nothing will depend on him. Due to the single reason that he has gotten into a kind of political game where he stands in the limelight on the one hand, but he does not understand what is happening around him. And when he (Zelensky) says that he has had a private talk, presidents do not have private talks. A transcript was written anyway. What Trump is doing is playing the 2020 (election) card like a great schemer and businessman. And if the questions are revealed and (we see) how our president answered them, it will not be beneficial for him. And the questions will be revealed anyway. He has good ratings now, but questions may arise and the problems might appear not with the Americans, as everybody thinks now. Now we think that Ukraine can influence the politics and the 2020 elections (in the U.S.), (but) I believe they are playing another card there. Biden was brought into this game against his will. He wants to receive answers. I believe that the impeachment will go up to the Senate, but Trump has majority there, so nothing will happen. And I believe (Trump) will master the situation and win the 2020 elections.”
Anna Boyko, a school teacher (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)
Anna Boyko
school teacher
“I respect President Zelensky a lot and I understand what a hard time he’s having right now in all this mess. The highest officials have stolen everything they could in the country, and they do not like Zelensky now. As for Trump, I have missed the story today. But I am sure that Zelensky knows what he is saying, so I fully support him. As for advice, there is too much of it. I am sick and tired of advice on 112 Channel and all other TV channels. I think he must stick to what he promised the people. Otherwise, I just respect him immensely and sympathize with him.”
