Each morning, Anna Kuzmishcheva goes online to update the information that has become most crucial in Ukraine regarding the ongoing conflict. She is not looking for developments in peace talks. Instead, Kuzmishcheva monitors daily government announcements on electricity availability: sometimes 6 hours, sometimes 9 hours, and when power cuts will occur.

For Kuzmishcheva and other Ukrainians, recent high-profile diplomatic activities led by the US are just meaningless noise, a political game their country's leadership is playing in hopes that the administration of President Donald Trump will not completely abandon Ukraine.

A man stands before a memorial to soldiers killed in the Ukraine-Russia conflict in Independence Square in Kiev on 10/12. Photo: AP

Many Ukrainians believe the US is siding with Russia and wants to pressure Ukraine to establish a peace deal at any cost, even if it is unfavorable to Kiev. They also believe that no matter how many concessions their country makes, Russia remains uninterested in an agreement.

Ukrainians are currently not truly concerned with the US peace plan, focusing more on their daily lives and how to survive power outages as the Russian military continuously attacks the country's energy infrastructure.

"I do not believe the talks will yield results. They have happened many times before, achieving nothing. Over time, hope fades, and people now have very little patience," said Kuzmishcheva, 38 years old.

Before taking office, President Trump pledged to establish peace in Ukraine within 24 hours. This year, his administration has led several unsuccessful efforts to end the fighting due to two main points of contention: territory and security guarantees for Ukraine.

Trump is pressuring President Volodymyr Zelensky to sign an agreement that Europe considers heavily skewed toward Russia. The US President suggests Ukraine must accept that it will ultimately lose the conflict with its more powerful neighbor.

According to analysts, Zelensky currently has to accommodate US negotiation desires, fearing that Washington will stop selling weapons or sharing intelligence with Kiev if they anger Trump.

"We have somewhat adapted to President Trump's negotiation style. The strategy Ukraine and President Zelensky pursue is not to say 'no' directly to Trump, while still protecting every national interest," noted Ukrainian political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko.

Zelensky continued negotiations with the US and European allies last week. However, no agreement has been reached, and most Ukrainians are indifferent due to their profound disillusionment.

"This has been delayed for months, so people have lost all interest. Everyone understands that the deal will not happen anyway. Therefore, people no longer care much about it," commented Oleksandr Merezhko, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Parliament of Ukraine.

Merezhko nominated President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize in November last year, primarily for the US leader's promise to end the conflict. However, he withdrew the nomination in 6/2025, stating that Trump was "blaming Ukraine for a conflict ignited by Russia."

According to Merezhko, President Zelensky knows it is impossible to reach an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Nevertheless, the Ukrainian leader must do everything to show the US that he is willing to negotiate.

While Ukraine and the US appear to have made some progress discussing potential security guarantees, there is no indication that Russia wants to stop fighting.

President Putin declared that Moskva holds the upper hand. Russian forces continue to intensify attacks along the front lines in the east and persistently strike Ukrainian cities with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and missiles. These attacks have destabilized Ukraine's power grid. One-half of the capital Kiev lost power on 9/12.

When asked by a reporter earlier last week whether he trusted the Americans, President Zelensky admitted the country was exhausted.

"I clearly see that they truly want the fighting to end," he said. "This is not a US political game; it is just an extremely complex issue. When there is no electricity, when people are exhausted, everyone naturally wants the conflict to end. But what matters is how it ends and under what conditions, so the hostilities do not recur."

A Ukrainian soldier carries an artillery shell to prepare to fire at Russian army positions in the Pokrovsk direction, Donetsk region, on 20/11. Photo: AFP

On the afternoon of 9/12, Viktoriia Starodub, 24 years old, visited the memorial for fallen soldiers in central Kiev to commemorate an old friend. Starodub, who fled her hometown of Pokrovsk after the Russian military launched its campaign in 2022, still keeps photos and videos on her phone showing how continuous shelling damaged her family's apartment building. Currently, Russia is on the verge of full control of the city.

"I really want to believe that these people did not die in vain," Starodub said, looking at the thousands of flags at the memorial. She believes Russia will never stop unless Ukraine concedes to their terms. However, she is unwilling to trade any territory for an uncertain peace.

On a recent evening, Alina Barabanova and Olena Lykova also visited the memorial in Kiev. The two women traveled from their town near the besieged city of Kupyansk in the east to the capital to attend a conference.

The Russian army controlled their town for about 6 months in 2022. During that time, they had no running water, electricity, or gas. Lykova, 52 years old, said she was once imprisoned for one day for disobeying the Russians. She noted that every house in her hometown has different sad stories.

"The so-called 'plan' being proposed is like throwing it at Ukraine and telling us to take it. Unfortunately, it is like helping the opponent. When we hear them say 'a deal is imminent,' we feel betrayed and angry," expressed Barabanova, 48 years old.

Vu Hoang (According to Reuters, AFP, AP)