Nobel Prize winner: Trump supports the war against Ukraine

Nobelist Alexandra Matiwitschuk accused former U.S. President Donald Trump of supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine during an interview on Thursday evening. Speaking on the Austrian television program ZiB 2, she claimed Trump wanted to end the conflict within 24 hours but instead enabled Russia to continue its military operations through his policies. Matiwitschuk, a Ukrainian human rights activist currently visiting Austria at the invitation of the Management Center Innsbruck (MCI), highlighted the relaxation of sanctions on Russian diesel fuel, which allows Moscow to generate additional revenue for drones and missiles. She also criticized intermittent restrictions on SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, arguing that such measures could cost lives by limiting the ability to detect and defend against Russian drone attacks. She described daily life in Kyiv as increasingly dangerous due to rising Russian drone strikes. “Every night, when we go to bed, there is no guarantee we will wake up tomorrow,” she said. Should the United States halt its support for Ukraine entirely, the country would become even more dependent on Europe, she added, while noting increasing assistance from Russia’s allies, China, North Korea, and Iran. Matiwitschuk’s organization, the Center for Civil Liberties, has documented alleged war crimes and human rights violations since 2022. She called targeted drone attacks on civilians particularly disturbing, describing them as a “human safari” in which Russian drones track individuals in cars or at markets. She recounted the case of a one-year-old boy struck by a drone while playing in a garden. The humanitarian situation in southern Ukraine, particularly in Oleksy, is dire, she said, with Russian forces blocking evacuations and aid deliveries. “People are trapped. They suffer from hunger.” Despite widespread exhaustion among Ukrainians, Matiwitschuk insisted resistance remains necessary. “We have no choice, we want to live freely.” She rejected calls for presidential elections during the war, citing constitutional constraints and logistical challenges under constant attack. Criticism of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy within Ukraine is normal in a democracy, she said, emphasizing the importance of diverse opinions.