Washington Post calls on U.S. leadership to support Ukraine

"There remains strong support for Ukraine in Congress, including among Republicans who have been defending Mr. Trump. They should be pressing the president and Mr. Pompeo to revive U.S. support for Ukraine," the article reads.

According to the newspaper, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky currently faces a crucial juncture - he is trying to sign a new agreement with the IMF and is also planning to meet with the leaders of Russia, France and Germany in Paris on December 9.

"For years it has been the policy of the United States to stand strongly behind Ukraine at such moments — not just to support a struggling democracy but also to advance U.S. strategic interests, such as containing Russian aggression in Europe. Yet the chaos President Trump introduced into U.S.-Ukraine relations has created a de facto diplomatic vacuum," the article reads.

Zelensky still has not been invited to the White House for the meeting Trump dangled in exchange for political favors. And Trump is still repeating false charges about Ukraine's role in the 2016 election, even after being told that they are inventions of Russia's intelligence services, the newspaper said.

"All this significantly weakens Mr. Zelensky's position, particularly as he contemplates the meeting with Mr. Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron. The latter two will likely lean on the Ukrainian to make concessions to the Russian ruler, because a deal would allow them to repair European relations with Russia," the article reads.

The U.S. House of Representatives is continuing an impeachment inquiry against Trump. Democrats accuse Trump of trying to involve Ukraine in U.S. domestic policy, pushing Kyiv to investigate his main rival in the U.S. presidential election - former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden.

Photo: The White House