Zelensky Magullado but optimistic after diplomatic whirlwind

“Mounted but motivated”, it was how one of VolodyMyr Zelensky’s entourage described how they had felt, since a small group of journalists got into what looked like an even smaller room at Stansted airport.

The British state had done everything possible to give the Ukrainian president “all the bells and whistles” when he arrived in the United Kingdom for a summit with 18 world leaders after his Donald Trump and JD Vance Donald on Friday night, A government source told me.

He He shared a hug with Sir Keir Starmer outside the No 10, where it was received with multitudes spontaneously vitory, and He met with King Charles for tea.

But it was revealing that in the 90 minutes before the wheels of his plane went up while heading home, Zelensky wanted to go to the record to present his arguments to the world, this time speaking only in Ukrainian, to make sure that he was not poorly understood.

Having been beaten in the White House, then entertained in the United Kingdom, his mood, at least in public, was not discouraged.

“If we do not keep our spirits up, we are disappointing everyone,” he said.

Made positive noises about Sir Keir and the plan of French president Emmanuel Macron to obtain the peace plans Before presenting them to the United States, so that Europe increases their game, developing their own more convincing security guarantees.

Zelensky told me I would be prepared to give Donald Trump one of his demands – To sign the mineral agreement that would give access to the United States to someone from Ukraine resources.

Beyond that, despite all the pressure of a three -year war, under all the demands of the White House that, fairly or not, has the power to protect or leave its country, Sunday night, Zelensky remained firm.

He told us that it was wrong at this stage to discuss the territory that Russia has captured, and that it was too soon to “talk about lines”, that the prime minister had mentioned earlier.

It would not apologize to Trump or express regret for anything that happened in the Oval office, which at this time, the camp of the president of the United States is repeatedly requesting.

Even the NATO chief asked Zelensky to find a way to restore his relationship with the American leader.

However, in Stansted’s room, there was not much in Zelensky’s tone that he suggested that he was interested in making friendly.

He said he had traveled for hours to get to the White House: his visit was a respect brand. He also said that he would never “insult anyone” and that the conversation as it exploded had not been positive for anyone.

Zelensky chose his words very carefully. He tried to some extent to avoid an autopsy of what happened. He was not rude about Trump, he barely mentioned it by name, and suggested that the tensions would pass.

Yes you I saw the complete horror of what happened in the oval office It is well that you do not blame Zelensky for feeling that it is simply not for him to apologize.

If you hear him talk about what has happened to his country, you can understand why he feels so impossible at this stage for him to recognize the commitments could have to finish the war.

Seeing him in person talking about the violence and suffering that has been unleashed, you feel their total disbelief that anyone might not see the world in their own way, where Russia’s aggression means that Putin should not be saved from punishment, and his people must protect themselves at all costs.

But reality? Neither Zelensky nor any western leader so far have persuaded Trump to adopt that moral clarity in this war. And even if it is painful, without the willingness to commit, it is difficult to see the end of this war.

However, Zelensky is a master communicator, genuine, without a doubt, but also an artist by trade.

“Our freedoms and values ​​are not for sale”, a message of not surrendering that Zelensky wanted to communicate, along with the will to sign the mineral agreement.

Again he expressed his gratitude for the support of the United States and other countries. But do not forget at this time, for all the meetings we have with the leaders involved in public, there are many more between them and their teams behind closed doors.

Just when our conversation was coming to an end, a suggestion that Macron and Sir Keir proposed a one -month truce as part of their peace plan reached my phone.

Did President Zelensky know and I would agree on that agreement, I asked?

“I am aware of everything,” he joked, laughing in the room, then offering handshakes and photos on his way to the plane.

It is possible that I would like to have had the last word at the end of a dramatic and difficult weekend. But the conversation about this conflict has many weeks, if not many months to run.