james waterhouse, bbc news, kyiv.w by maria snegovaya, seniorfellow with the europe, russia, and eurasia program at the center for strategic and international studies. thank you, maria, for talking to me about this. what are your first thoughts when you have the comments from president trump, orfrom the the comments from president trump, or from the white the comments from president trump, orfrom the white house, saying that the chances of ukraine joining saying that the chances of ukrainejoining nato are ukraine joining nato are unrealistic?— ukraine joining nato are unrealistic? . ., ., unrealistic? yeah, thanks for havinu unrealistic? yeah, thanks for having me- _ unrealistic? yeah, thanks for having me. certainly, - unrealistic? yeah, thanks for having me. certainly, like . unrealistic? yeah, thanks for having me. certainly, like so| having me. certainly, like so many analysts today, i'm a little bit surprised to discover the us administration to deliver so many concessions to deliver so many concessions to putin

russia launched its full-scale invasion three years ago this month to devastating effect, as james waterhousets. james: the sounds and scars of russia's invasion. reminders of war weigh heavy here. the destruction from the major dam drained this reservoir. a static front line put life on hold. he used to fish these waters. now he waits for donald trump's vision for peace. >> if it stays like this as it is now, then nothing will work out. it will just be a border. most likely, it will be impossible to live next to the russians, unfortunately. james: america's big plan is a body blow for ukraine. it dared to dream, that three years of sacrifice and western support would make it safe from russia. now, it feels vulnerable and betrayed. with all the talk about talks, ukrainians are still fighting and dying. funerals are constant. here, it is the turn of the thalia's husband, a local soldier named alexander, to be laid to rest. >> honestly, i just don't know anymore. they keep sending more and more of our guys to the front line. i wish they found some way to end it. james: donald trump says he want

james waterhouse incident southwestern -- is in southwestern ukraine. ounds and scars of russia's invasion, reminders of war weigh heavy here. the destruction, the major dam drained this reservoir. a static front line has put life on hold. alexander used two fish these waters. now he waits for donald trump's vision for peace. >> if it stays like this as it is now, then nothing will work out. it will just be a border. most likely it will be impossible to live next to the russians, unfortunately. james: america's big plan is a body blow for ukraine. it dared to dream, and three years of sacrifice and western support would make it safe from russia. now it feels vulnerable and betrayed. with all the talk about talks, ukrainians are still fighting and dying. funerals are constant. here, it is the turn of natalia's husband to be laid to rest. >> honestly, i just don't know anymore. they keep sending more of our guys to the front line. i wish they found some way to end it. james: donald trump says he wants the killing to stop. ukrainians know the cost of russia

so that's why we're going to turn to our expert witness, friend of the podcast, james waterhouse. s, you've been the ukraine correspondent now there for quite some time through the whole of this conflict, so you really know this in and out. what do we know about the hints and nudges how seriously are people taking it? the best barometer here is the people you is the people you speak to president zelenskyy himself. and on the latter, it's the first time we've seen him embrace the fact that american therefore western help a transactional one. where he sat there with a big map pointing out all of his country's natural resources, critical minerals and he is saying to america, to donald trump, "look, yyou can have a slice of this as long a slice of this as long as you keep helping us out militarily." so we are seeing president zelensky, engage in the deal. zelensky engage in the deal. he's also saying that the next few weeks are it's the first time i've heard him say that. is putting on solving this war seems to be of things going around. in terms of foreign troops being on the snowy gr

of this t the very on all of this with very on all of this with obry correspondent in kyiv, james waterhouse different we need to up with lines we need to wrap up with you. let's start with the release of mark fogel. donald suggesting this hostage trump suggesting this hostage was potentially of releese wespgtentielly'pert df the war over with t 7 what 7 7 what is the on ukraine. what is the view on this? it ukraine. what is the view on this? , ., . this? it will be a concerning site where _ this? it will be a concerning site where you _ this? it will be a concerning site where you have - this? it will be a concerning - site where you have expressions site where you have expreeeiene we site where you have expressiens we appreciate site where you have expressions we appreciate vladimir like'we'sppreoiete vladimir he like'we'appreoiate vladimir he was very generous like'we'appfeoiate vladimir he was very generous in putin. he was very generous in allowing this to happen. for you have a story where the kyiv you have a story where the central characters the us central characters are the us russi

james waterhouse. of all bring us up—to—date on the latest we are up-to-dete on the letest we are aboutcks in beer-ha gee-set eeme afieeke it! heeflfla eeefiet eeme afieeke it! heeflfla eee-iet eeme afieeke iii heeflfla eekie-iei eeme afieike iii ukraine. yes, it was a busy niuht ukraine. yes, it was a busy night here _ ukraine. yes, it was a busy night here in _ ukraine. yes, it was a busy night here in kyiv. - ukraine. yes, it was a busy night here in kyiv. we - ukraine. yes, it was a busy| night here in kyiv. we - a night here in'kyiv. we had a of booms from about liam, number af beams fra'm'abaut 45am. don't number bf beams frb'm'aba'bt 45am. don't happen number bf bbbms ftq’fltdbdut 45am. don't happen as frequently they dbn�*t happen as frequently they dbn�*t happen as frequently they did, they dbn�*t happen as frequentty they did, but do, as they did, but they do, they can up easily, there was a can ramp up easily, there was a reported "léu'ii'c'h’eti’ ”launchedby launched by russia, as attack launched by russia, as it typically does, which 7 i

let's speak to our ukraine correspondent, james waterhouse. i'm sure there's been a lot of reaction?nt zelensky _ reaction? yes, president zelensky had _ reaction? yes, president zelensky had to - reaction? yes, president zelensky had to wait - reaction? yes, president zelensky had to wait his| reaction? yes, president - zelensky had to wait his turn last night to have his coat with donald trump after he was finished with vladimir putin and he said they both agreed their shared strength would be enough to pressure russia their shared strength would be enough to $�*f�*ésé3ifi�*é ru he of donald trump, things liking of donald trump, things could change. we know that can happen but at the moment the ukraine, there seems to be the start of some kind of end but we do not know on what terms, what the parties, but everyone here is digesting the last couple of days. it’s here is digesting the last couple of days.— here is digesting the last couple of days. it's been an interesting _ couple of days. it's been an interesting number - couple of days. it's been an interesting number of - couple o