Discussion must focus on Ukraine’s interests, not on Trump or Putin — Japanese professor
This was emphasized in an interview with Ukrinform by Atsuko Higashino, a professor at University of Tsukuba.
Higashino noted that after the Trump administration took office, media interest surged in how he intended to end the war. However, she believed placing high hopes on the U.S. administration was not the best idea and expressed doubts about whether the White House fully understood the nature of this conflict.
“The question is not what Trump thinks or which decision he wants to impose, but what Ukraine wants – a country that has resisted aggression for four years. Does it want to continue the fight with partner support, or is it seeking help to end the war?” Higashino said.
She stressed the importance of constantly reminding the world that Ukraine’s future must be decided by Ukrainians themselves.
“‘Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine’ should be a fundamental principle. But if in 2022 and 2023 everyone was trying to figure out what was in Putin’s head, by 2025 he was simply replaced by Trump. I have always considered such discussions mistaken because Ukraine stopped being the subject, and I tried to return the debate to Ukraine’s interests,” the Japanese professor emphasized.
As previously reported by Ukrinform, Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly stressed that Ukraine has agreed to all realistic proposals from the United States, including an unconditional ceasefire, while Russia continues to reject them, pursuing assaults on the frontlines and strikes on cities.
