Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy just walked away from the negotiating table with a better deal for his country—and all without folding to Donald Trump’s bluffs.
A few months ago, Zelenskyy sat in the Oval Office across from President Trump and his trusty sidekick J.D. Vance, while the world watched an argument unfold like an unscripted reality show. Trump told Zelenskyy that he didn’t have “the cards” to negotiate. Early U.S. proposals demanded Ukraine grant preferential access to its critical minerals in exchange for aid, with drafts suggesting U.S. firms could dominate mining investments. And as many have known by now, Trump pressured Zelenskyy to accept Russia’s annexation of Crimea, reportedly calling Ukraine’s refusal “provocative.”
Zelenskyy’s continued response was a polite but firm “no.”
What followed from that Oval disastrous meeting was a media frenzy, a temporary freeze in military aid, and international and domestic criticism of Trump’s approach. European leaders expressed solidarity with Ukraine’s sovereignty, while some U.S. lawmakers raised concerns. Trump’s approval ratings on Ukraine took a noticeable dip.
But fast forward to April 30, 2025: a signed minerals investment deal is on the table—and it looks nothing like the one Trump tried to shove down Kyiv’s throat back in February. Let’s compare the hands:
i) Original U.S. Demands (Leaked Drafts, February 2025):
– Ukraine would grant U.S. firms preferential access to critical mineral reserves
– No explicit guarantees of Ukrainian resource ownership or profit reinvestment
– Trump threatened to withdraw aid if Ukraine refused to concede on Crimea
ii) Final Deal (Signed April 30, 2025):
– A 50/50 joint US-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund, with equal profit-sharing and governance (3 U.S. and 3 Ukrainian board members)
– Ukraine retains full legal ownership of its mineral resources
– Ukrainian profits must be reinvested domestically for at least a decade
– Terms compatible with Ukraine’s EU membership aspirations
That’s right: the man Trump mocked for having “no cards” ended up securing a deal that keeps Ukrainian ownership intact, ensures reinvestment at home, and scrapped early U.S. demands for mineral control.
I’ll concede: I wanted more. I wanted to see Russia footing the bill for their destruction of Ukraine. I wanted to see Putin on his knees begging for forgiveness—and maybe resigning as Russia’s leader. But as a spectator of the international game, this is by far the best and most realistic deal Ukraine has reached—and they did it without bending the knee to bullies like Trump.
Meanwhile, Trump spun the deal as a win for America—because of course he did. “Only through me can you start having cards,” Trump told Zelenskyy back in February. He later approved $50 million in military sales to Ukraine, calling it a “goodwill gesture.” The Trump administration never publicly cited external criticism as influencing the revised agreement.
And watching the final signed deal, it’s clear: Zelenskyy held onto his position, and secured key terms that weren’t on the table before.
Moreover, Trump and some of his Republican allies are starting to admit what Zelensky told them all along: that Putin can’t be trusted. From Donald Trump’s own begrudging nods to Republican senators like John Kennedy openly acknowledging that Putin has been playing Trump for a fool, the truth has come full circle. Turns out, the Ukrainian president who stood his ground in that White House meeting wasn’t the naïve idealist — he was the one reading the cards at the table.
In this game of international poker, it turns out the best way to beat Trump’s bluff… is to call it.
Translation for MAGA nation: This is what a hero looks like. Not someone who caves to bullies, but someone who holds the line until the deal is fair. Zelenskyy didn’t just fight for a deal—he fought for his country’s dignity. Even as Trump pushed for Ukraine to surrender Crimea, Zelenskyy refused.
Trump played games.
Zelenskyy played for keeps.
Supa Mario aka Po’uli Havili is a freelance journalist and a Talanoa ‘o Tonga contributor.
