Ukrainians worry about Trump effort to end war with Russia, though some hope for the best

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy attends a joint press conference, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, as he visits at the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant near the town of Netishyn, in Khmelnytskyi region, Ukraine February 13, 2025. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

KYIV (Reuters) -Ukrainians on Thursday worried that U.S. President Donald Trump was preparing to sell out their country following his phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, though some expressed cautious hope over his effort to swiftly end the war.

Trump's call to the Russian president - the first by a U.S. leader since Moscow's February 2022 invasion - followed remarks by his defence chief that cast doubt over the full restoration of Ukraine's borders and its aspiration to join the NATO alliance.