Collage: Substack
Belgian human rights defender Peter Bourkaret, who is in Ukraine, expressed his views on the debate between President Vladimir Zelensky and his American counterpart Donald Trump. He pointed out some lies in the negotiations. He also mentioned that Trump invited Vice President Pence to Ukraine, but they said they would not dare to go.
Why does Zelensky wear military uniform?
During a meeting in the Oval Office on February 28, one of the journalists asked the Ukrainian president why he was not wearing a suit. This scene, which seemed to be pre-prepared at first glance, attracted a lot of attention.
"I will wear a suit after the war is over. Maybe I will get a suit like yours. Maybe even a better one! Or something cheaper!" Zelensky replied.
Interestingly, Elon Musk, who is active in the White House and heads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), also does not adhere to formal dress codes.
"Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Zelensky has participated in all international meetings in military uniform. This is a symbolic gesture to express solidarity with the soldiers who are sacrificing their lives for Ukraine and to show that the country is in a state of war.
However, surprisingly, no one has objected to Elon Musk, who has been seen several times in a T-shirt and cap at the White House, even without removing his headgear. In fact, it is considered polite to remove headgear in front of leadership. So don’t teach Zelensky how to dress," said the Belgian human rights defender.
The Ukrainian president is not a dictator
Peter stated that he has spoken with Ukrainian soldiers sent to war in recent weeks and shared the following:
"Zelensky is not a dictator, nor is he a leader who can mobilize his people. In recent weeks, I have spent a lot of time with soldiers on their way to the front, talking to them. None of them tried to refuse service; on the contrary, they are entering the fight with determination and courage. I bow to them and express my deep respect," said the human rights defender.
Previously, President Trump had referred to his Ukrainian counterpart as a “dictator without elections.” Later, he said he could not “believe” he had said that.
The US should express gratitude to Ukraine
In negotiations, Trump demanded several times that Zelensky express gratitude. The human rights defender emphasized that in fact, Trump and the US should express gratitude to Zelensky. He provided two reasons for this.
"First, Ukraine gave up the third-largest nuclear arsenal in the world after the collapse of the Soviet Union. This was guaranteed by the US, UK, France, and Russia according to the Budapest memorandum. Ukraine gave up trillions of dollars worth of nuclear weapons in exchange for territorial integrity guarantees, but Russia broke this promise. The US and other Western countries had taken on the obligation to protect Ukraine," said Peter Bourkaret.
He emphasized that if Ukraine had retained its nuclear weapons, Russia would never have attacked it. The West promised to protect Ukraine in exchange for its denuclearization. Therefore, Ukraine does not need to express gratitude to the US for fulfilling its promises.
"Second, Ukraine is not only protecting its territory but also the future of all of Europe. In recent weeks, I have spoken with people from the territories occupied by Russia. They are living under real Stalinist repression. Putin wants to spread such a regime throughout Europe. Ukraine stands as the front line to stop him," Peter emphasized.
Photo: Peter Boukaret
He mentioned that he had been in Chechnya 25 years ago, documenting the "atrocities" committed by Russia. At that time, he was in a hotel with Anna Politkovskaya, who was murdered, Natalya Estemirova, and Oleg Orlov, an activist of the "Memorial" organization who was imprisoned in February 2024 on charges of "discrediting the Russian army" and later released as part of a prisoner exchange.
He noted that the difference from 1999-2000 was that, although the FSB (now KGB) always monitored, there was still the possibility to work in Russia.
"FSB agents would stay with us at the ACCA hotel in Ingushetia. One night I felt that someone was in my room all night — they indicated that they were watching me through several cigarette butts left on the floor. Nevertheless, we could go to Moscow, we could work at the Human Rights Watch (HRW) office in Moscow, and we operated despite the risks," Peter recalls.
He stated that since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 (and even before that), the remaining opportunities for civil society in Russia have been completely eliminated. He noted that there are no independent journalists or human rights organizations left in Russia. The HRW office has already been closed.
"Anna, Natalya, Nemtsov, and many other brave individuals were ruthlessly eliminated by Putin. However, instead of supporting the Ukrainian people fighting for freedom, Trump refrains from criticizing the murderous dictator Putin and instead tries to insult Zelensky, who is fighting for freedom. However, Zelensky is not insulted; he stands proud and strong because he cannot be insulted by those who do not respect him.
Shame on you, twice impeached and found guilty of a crime orange! You and your Republican sycophants are not worthy of our respect — I don’t even capitalize the word “Republicans” because they are not worthy of that attention. Shame on you, traitors to American values!" said Peter Bourkaret.
