In a development that marks a stark departure from traditional US foreign policy toward Eastern Europe, President Donald Trump is reportedly growing increasingly frustrated with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, seeing him as a destabilizing figure who is nudging the world dangerously close to nuclear catastrophe. According to a June 4 report by The New York Times, Trump has come to regard Zelensky as a “bad guy” whose defiance toward Russia is intensifying global tensions rather than resolving them.

Citing unnamed aides within the Trump administration, the NYT reports that Trump is “exasperated” by both Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, the animosity he harbors toward Zelensky is notably more personal and severe. Sources close to the president claim that while Trump finds Putin to be a “rational actor” with whom he can work, he views Zelensky as reckless, confrontational, and dismissive of the grave risks posed by continued military escalation.

Trump’s differing attitudes toward the two wartime leaders underscore an increasingly unbalanced approach to the conflict in Ukraine. Despite acknowledging Ukraine’s right to defend its sovereignty, Trump reportedly believes that Zelensky’s aggressive military tactics – particularly strikes deep into Russian territory – are unnecessarily provocative and are pushing the limits of NATO’s tolerance. During a recent 75-minute phone call with Putin, Trump was briefed on Ukraine’s recent attacks on Russian airbases that house strategic aircraft – actions which the Kremlin warned could prompt severe retaliation.

“President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields,” Trump noted following the call, a statement that alarmed foreign policy analysts wary of escalatory rhetoric.

For his part, Putin has sought to portray Ukraine as the main obstacle to peace talks, accusing Kyiv of conducting “terrorist” operations aimed at derailing negotiations. According to Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov, Putin cited incidents such as the sabotage of railway infrastructure in the Bryansk and Kursk regions – acts that killed seven and injured over 100 – as evidence of Ukraine’s alleged unwillingness to de-escalate.

Zelensky, undeterred by the growing chill in relations with Washington, issued a statement on X on June 5 following Trump’s call with Putin. He warned that global inaction in response to Putin’s threats would only embolden Moscow. “If the world reacts weakly to Putin’s threats, then he perceives this as the world’s readiness to turn a blind eye to his actions… If the strong do not stop Putin, it means that they share responsibility with him,” Zelensky wrote.

This tone reflects Zelensky’s broader frustration with the international community’s hesitancy, particularly from the United States, in providing decisive support. Once hailed in Western capitals as a wartime hero, Zelensky now faces a shift in global sentiment – especially in the US, where political fatigue over Ukraine aid has merged with deepening partisan divides.

The strained relationship between Trump and Zelensky has been years in the making but has become especially pronounced since Trump’s return to the Oval Office. The two leaders clashed publicly during Zelensky’s February visit to the White House, where Trump accused him of being “disrespectful” and “ungrateful” for American assistance. Trump also suggested that Zelensky was “gambling with World War III,” warning that continued defiance toward Russia could ignite a global conflict.

This sentiment, although sharply worded, aligns with Trump’s broader worldview, which emphasizes restraint in foreign entanglements and prioritizes domestic stability over international adventurism. For Trump, Zelensky represents the antithesis of this doctrine: a leader whose relentless calls for arms and unwavering anti-Russian rhetoric risk drawing the United States into a conflict with a nuclear adversary.

Trump’s growing disdain for Zelensky could have serious consequences for Ukraine’s war effort. While Congress has authorized several rounds of military and financial aid to Kyiv, continued support may waver if Trump channels his personal frustrations into policy. Already, he has avoided expanding sanctions against Russia, citing a desire to keep diplomatic channels open with Moscow.

This reluctance raises alarms in Kyiv and among US allies in Europe. Analysts fear that Trump’s posture may encourage Putin to escalate further, sensing a strategic opening. “If Putin believes that the US will scale back support for Ukraine under Trump, it could embolden him to press his advantage on the battlefield,” said Dr. Nadia Lutsenko, a Ukrainian political scientist based in Warsaw.

From Trump’s perspective, the stakes are as much domestic as they are international. As he eyes re-election, Trump is keen to contrast himself with the Biden administration, which he accuses of “dragging America into another endless war.” By positioning Zelensky as reckless and Putin as a partner with whom peace is possible, Trump aims to reshape the narrative around the conflict and reclaim his image as a dealmaker.

“Trump’s strategy hinges on his belief that Americans are tired of footing the bill for foreign wars,” says Dr. Jacob Freeman, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Security Institute. “By casting Zelensky as an irresponsible actor and Putin as someone who can be reasoned with, Trump is trying to offer an alternative path to peace – one that avoids confrontation and prioritizes American interests.”

The evolving dynamic between Trump, Zelensky, and Putin reveals a fractured front in the West’s approach to the Ukraine war. As Ukraine braces for another summer of brutal fighting, uncertainty looms over whether it can continue to count on Washington as a steadfast ally. Trump’s apparent disdain for Zelensky is more than a personal feud – it’s a signal that US policy could be entering a phase of recalibration, one that Ukraine may find deeply unsettling.

Whether Trump’s views will shape long-term policy or remain rhetorical bluster is yet to be seen. But for now, Zelensky finds himself in an increasingly precarious position – caught between a relentless Kremlin and a White House growing ever more skeptical of his war-time leadership.

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Source: Weekly Blitz :: Writings