MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
With Donald Trump's return to the White House, Ukrainians are faced with losing the U.S. as their biggest single ally. Trump has said he will end crucial aid to the country. He also claims he will end the war in 24 hours, although he has not explained how. For reaction in Ukraine, we're going to go to NPR's Joanna Kakissis in Kyiv. Joanna, good morning.
JOANNA KAKISSIS, BYLINE: Good morning, Michel.
MARTIN: So what are you hearing this morning from Kyiv?
KAKISSIS: So Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has congratulated Trump, and writing on social media, Zelenskyy said he and Trump had a, quote, "great meeting" in September and that he appreciates what he calls Trump's peace through strength approach in global affairs. Recently, Zelenskyy has grown quite frustrated with President Biden's White House, saying their approach is overly cautious and encourages Russia to be more of a bully. But what was not said here is that Trump has professed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is the reason Ukraine is at war in the first place.
MARTIN: Well, to that point, are Ukrainians concerned that Trump will accommodate Russia when it comes time for peace negotiations?
KAKISSIS: Yes, they're very concerned. I've spoken to lots of people this morning, including 53-year-old Oksana Tsupii. She's a trader in Kyiv, and she said she expects the U.S. will force Ukraine to give up territories now occupied by Russia. Here she is now.
OKSANA TSUPII: (Speaking Ukrainian).
KAKISSIS: So she's saying, "we are so small in this world of big politics. And unfortunately, our lives are worth nothing."
MARTIN: Did anyone you spoke with see a path forward?
KAKISSIS: Yeah. Some people do. I'm in touch with several soldiers who are on the front line, and they say they're not going to give up just because of a leadership change in the U.S. This morning, we spoke to 35-year-old Andrii. He gave only his first name, according to military protocol. And Andrii said Trump's election doesn't change how he views this war.
ANDRII: (Speaking Ukrainian).
KAKISSIS: He's saying, "look, if we have to adapt, we will do it. Our people have already shown so much resilience, so we will rely on our strength and our forces."
MARTIN: OK, so tell us a bit more about both of those things. What are Ukraine's strengths right now, and what are their challenges right now?
KAKISSIS: So the biggest challenges are on the eastern front line right now. Russian forces are advancing, and now Ukraine has confirmed that thousands of North Korean soldiers have joined the Russians. And with Trump in the White House, NATO membership for Ukraine may not happen in time to save the Ukrainians. Trump is not supportive of the security alliance, which Ukraine desperately needs for long-term protection against Russia.
MARTIN: Do does Ukraine have any other assets that they can draw on right now to counteract this?
KAKISSIS: Well, I mean, they could turn to Europe. They do have strong relationships with the new NATO secretary general and other countries in the European Union. The European Union leadership is very strongly behind Ukraine. But again, it's not clear that the European Union can compensate for the loss of the U.S. as an ally if that actually happens.
MARTIN: That is NPR's Joanna Kakissis in Kyiv. Joanna, thank you.
KAKISSIS: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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