Chernihiv renames one of its squares after Donald Trump
The Chernihiv city council renamed Fairy Tale Square after U.S. President Donald Trump on Oct. 16, the local media outlet Suspilne Chernihiv reported.
Marina Semenenko, a member of the European Solidarity party who submitted the proposal, wrote on her Facebook on Oct. 16 that the next step was to reach out to the White House and invite Trump and his family "to visit our hero city."
Chernihiv, a city in northern Ukraine, was designated a "Hero City" in 2022 — alongside Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Mariupol — in recognition of its defense and symbolic role in Ukraine’s resilience during the full-scale invasion.
The decision to rename Fairy Tale Square was made "in order to honor prominent political leaders of modern times, as well as to draw international attention to the reconstruction of the hero city of Chernihiv," according to the explanatory note of the decision shared by Semenenko online.
"The residents of Chernihiv express their sincere hope that, in the face of new international challenges, it will be Donald Trump who manages to make efforts to stop another major war and achieve lasting peace. We believe that for this he could rightfully become a Nobel Peace Prize laureate," the explanatory note continues.
During his second presidential campagin, Trump styled himself as a "president of peace," pledging to end Russia's war against Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office. Yet, despite his overtures — including an unprecedented invitation for Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet him in Alaska over the summer — Moscow has shown little interest in returning to the negotiating table.
Trump has boasted about ending "seven wars" already since the start of his second term and has actively expressed interest in receiving the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. President Volodymyr Zelensky told journalists on Oct. 8 that he is ready to nominate Trump if he helps to secure a ceasefire with Russia.
On Oct. 9, Trump successfully brokered a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, effectively bringing an end to the two-year-long conflict that has killed tens of thousands and displaced countless others.
