Zelensky is no longer pretending that Trump could be a reliable ally and has given up diplomacy to speak plainly. Now Ukraine has a better situation on the front and is no longer decisively dependent on the „reluctant” help of the American president.
For over a year after Donald Trump returned to the White House, Ukraine hoped – at least publicly – to win him over. Trump, who has repeatedly expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, largely halted American military aid to Kiev. He repeatedly insulted Ukrainian leaders and reprimanded Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office in February 2025.
However, Ukraine eagerly participated in Trump's peace negotiations, which were aimed at rewarding Putin's invasion and proved to be fruitless. Zelensky agreed to agreements on minerals, which apparently promised to enrich Americans. He even praised Trump. Despite doubts, Kiev believed that speaking favorably about the American president would do no harm and might win him over.
But now Kiev seems to have given up on the United States, writes The Atlantic.
Ukraine seeks other partners
Ukraine is actively seeking new diplomatic and military partners - for example, sharing its drone expertise with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates and concluding arms production agreements with Germany.
At the same time, Ukraine has launched drones to target oil export units near the city of St. Petersburg, within enemy territory, defying what Zelensky called "signals" from unspecified "partners" to avoid attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.
Using language that until recently would have been unthinkable, Zelensky indicated that he no longer considers the United States a reliable ally and, even more surprisingly, that all of Europe needs to start withdrawing from the transatlantic relationship.
In an attempt to prevent further energy price hikes amid the US and Israel's war against Iran, the Trump administration has relaxed sanctions on Russian oil producers and sellers.
In an interview with Italy's public radio station last week, Zelensky criticized this decision. "In my opinion, Russia has once again outplayed the Americans - fooled the President of the United States," he said.
The truth about America's alignment with Russia
Shortly after, Zelensky argued that if the US truly intends to withdraw from NATO, as Trump threatened, European democracies need an entirely new security architecture. To defend against Russia without American assistance, Zelensky suggested that the European Union would need the capabilities of non-member countries: Norway, the UK, Turkey, and Ukraine.
He positioned himself starkly against European leaders who, in the past 15 months, have desperately pretended that the United States remains committed to their traditional allies.
In this process, some leaders have discredited themselves, as NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte did when he called Trump "Daddy." Later, the alliance's chief attributed the expression to an English language issue. However, no one wanted to acknowledge that Trump's return to the White House made the US a threat to European security.
Ukraine's newfound willingness to speak honestly stems from a combination of factors:
- The United States has reduced the already small amounts of weapons it was selling to Ukraine to preserve supplies needed for the war against Iran.
- Although at different times Trump talked about imposing tough sanctions on Russia, lately he has not engaged in such actions.
- Most discouraging for Ukrainians is that the Trump administration has frequently pressured Kiev to cede territory and population in Donbas to Putin as part of a potential peace deal.
These developments have convinced Zelensky and others to speak the truth about America's increasingly close alignment with Russia and to warn other European countries about the danger they currently face, the publication emphasizes.
Ukraine has "good cards" to play
Ukraine's public stance change comes as its military situation has improved, at least compared to the difficulties of last year. Relying largely on its domestic drone industry and dynamic military structure, Ukrainian forces have regained the initiative in many areas.
In recent months, they seem to have inflicted more casualties than Russia can replace - and have recaptured more territory than Russia has gained.
On the front, Ukraine has strengthened and expanded its so-called drone wall, restricting the movement of Russian troops. Earlier this week, Kiev claimed to have taken a Russian position and captured a number of Russian soldiers, without exposing any Ukrainians, only unmanned aerial and ground vehicles.
Meanwhile, Ukrainians have gained more confidence in launching drone attacks on medium and long-range targets far behind the front lines, as demonstrated by the attack near St. Petersburg.
Ultimately, Ukraine continues to limit Russian naval power in the Black Sea. Even ships in the most protected Russian naval bases are no longer safe from Ukrainian attacks.
Over the past 15 months, American officials and many Western analysts have continually emphasized Ukraine's weakness. Trump infamously said last year that Ukrainians "have no cards" to play. But their ability to adapt even without US assistance has been astonishing. Now a global leader in drone development and manufacturing, Ukraine apparently intends to produce up to 7 million unmanned military vehicles in 2026.
Ukrainians would much prefer the United States to be on their side rather than Russia's. From 2022 to 2024, Washington provided more military assistance to Ukraine than anyone else. Although much of this aid was delivered slowly and, in some cases, with exasperating limitations, it was crucial in helping Ukraine survive the early years of the war.
However, Kiev does not believe that losing American support will inevitably lead to defeat. Using their own resources and with the help of European partners, even if the United States has distanced itself, their war effort has not diminished. Removing the US from the list of friends could have once been a sign of disaster for Ukraine. But it is no longer, the publication concludes.
T.D.