“Live in my house and see Ukraine’s war”: Heavyweight boxing champion Usyk challenges Trump

Unified heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk has issued a powerful and personal challenge to the U.S. President Donald Trump, inviting him to spend a week at his home in Kyiv to witness firsthand the daily realities of life under Russian attack.

Usyk’s appeal, delivered in recent interviews with CNN, comes amid renewed Russian missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities and as Trump faces criticism for failing to deliver on campaign promises to swiftly end the war.

“President Donald Trump, please open your eyes and assist my people,” Usyk pleaded, urging Trump to honor his repeated pledge to resolve the conflict within 24 hours if elected. “He must be accountable for his statements. He claimed he could halt this war in a month or even a day. He is not taking responsibility for his words. Why does he make such declarations?” Usyk questioned.


Usyk described the harrowing conditions faced by ordinary Ukrainians: “Let him stay in my house for a week and witness how rockets fly overhead and how people live in Ukraine. Every night, bombs fly above my house. Bomb, rocket, Shahed. Every night”. He emphasized that the suffering extends beyond soldiers, affecting children, women, and the elderly.

The boxer’s invitation comes as Trump, now six months into his second term, has not been successful in brokering a ceasefire and has softened his stance on sanctions against Russia, even threatening to sanction Ukraine. Usyk, a former Olympic gold medalist and current WBC, WBA, and WBO heavyweight champion, has long used his platform to advocate for Ukraine, previously urging Trump to use his influence to help free Ukrainian prisoners of war.

As Usyk prepares for his July title defense, his message to Trump underscores the urgency and human cost of the ongoing conflict, calling for global leaders to witness and respond to Ukraine’s plight.