Korea’s dilemma in staying aligned with US

The summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington, D.C. on Friday ended in an unexpectedly disastrous manner. Contrary to predictions that Zelensky, under pressure to end the three-year-long war with Russia, would capitulate by signing a mineral agreement involving rare earths, the meeting took a different turn.

“His (Zelensky's) hatred for Putin makes it very difficult for me to finalize negotiations,” President Trump cornered Zelensky. “You don’t have a card. Without our military equipment, this war would have ended in two weeks.” He further rebuked Zelensky, saying he was very “rude” to the U.S. Zelensky did not back down, responding, “What diplomacy are you talking about?” and emphasizing that Putin is a man who has invaded again despite making non-aggression promises. Even Vice President J.D. Vance, in an unusually informal manner, joined in the criticism, saying, “You should thank President for trying to end this conflict.” The Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S., seated nearby, shook his head in frustration, holding his head in his hands. Following the heated exchange, Zelensky canceled the remaining schedule, including a luncheon, joint press conference, and agreement signing ceremony, and departed from the U.S.

This summit will likely be remembered in history as the moment when Trump abandoned the U.S.'s role as the leader of the liberal democratic alliance established after World War II. The U.S. has played a leading role in the free world by establishing NATO as a collective security system in Western Europe and forming bilateral military alliances with Korea and Japan in East Asia. However, Trump believes that the U.S. has been wasting its national power by protecting wealthy countries that have benefited economically from trade with the U.S. His stance is that unless the U.S. security beneficiaries pay significantly more, the U.S. will withdraw its support. A U.S. president telling the leader of a nation that has lost 20% of its territory, “You should be thankful,” was unimaginable. Trump likely envisions fostering amicable relations with other nuclear-armed great powers, such as China and Russia, to prioritize the U.S. national interests. While leaders of Western European nations such as the U.K. and France were shocked by the failed summit, they have encouraged Zelensky to pursue a second summit, seeking compromise and reconciliation. However, concerns about the uncertain future of the free world have grown significantly.

The real dilemma lies in Korea’s choices. Last week, the United Nations voted on two opposing resolutions regarding the Ukraine war. The resolution submitted by the U.S. to the Security Council omitted the term “Russia as an aggressor,” whereas the resolution submitted by Europe and Ukraine to the General Assembly explicitly labeled Russia as the aggressor. Korea voted in favor of both. This decision likely stemmed from the difficulty of choosing between aligning with the U.S. and upholding moral judgments of right and wrong. At the same time, it foreshadows the many value conflicts that Korea will face in the future.