The approval ratings of President Trump among Ukrainians are quite low, but many reacted positively to a comment he made after his meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky. He questioned why President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia continues to attack Ukraine while the U.S. seeks to mediate peace talks.
“It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along,” Mr. Trump shared on Truth Social following his conversation with Mr. Zelensky during Pope Francis’ funeral.
The day’s events represented a victory for Mr. Zelensky and Ukraine at a crucial point in the ongoing conflict, which escalated with Russia’s large-scale invasion in February 2022. The U.S. has been urging Ukraine to accept a peace proposal that appears somewhat favorable to Moscow. This plan requires Kyiv to give up its dreams of NATO membership, offers only vague security assurances, and would lead to U.S. recognition of Crimea as Russian territory. Ukraine has rejected this deal, which the Trump administration labeled as its final offer.
However, Ukrainians are feeling a small sense of hope that Mr. Trump might not force them into an unbalanced peace agreement. This sense of optimism arose after a significant Russian missile strike in Ukraine’s capital that took 12 lives and injured nearly 90. “Vladimir, STOP!” Mr. Trump expressed on Truth Social, marking a rare criticism of Mr. Putin.
Hope increased slightly on Saturday when Mr. Zelensky managed to spend around 15 minutes with Mr. Trump in Rome. Photos shared by the Ukrainian government depicted them sitting closely, engaging in conversation as equals—a stark contrast to a previously disastrous meeting in the Oval Office in late February that ended with Mr. Zelensky abruptly leaving and all U.S. aid being frozen.
The images from Rome “were extraordinary,” commented Volodymyr Dubovyk, director of the Center for International Studies at Odesa I.I. Mechnikov National University. He mentioned that having some private time with Mr. Trump was beneficial for Mr. Zelensky.
“Trump’s team has been too exposed to Kremlin influences lately, so it was important for Kyiv to present their own viewpoint directly to him. Perhaps now Trump will grasp Ukraine’s concerns a little better,” Mr. Dubovyk noted.
Some Ukrainians speaking to reporters in Kyiv on Sunday recognized that Mr. Trump is unpredictable. However, they found reassurance in the White House’s description of Saturday’s dialogue as a “very productive discussion.”
Oleh Karas, 40, who was gathering donations for drones by a memorial for fallen soldiers, called the images of Mr. Trump and Mr. Zelensky “amazing,” noting that it appeared as though “Trump was truly listening.”
“Maybe finally Trump caught on to the obvious truths about Putin,” Mr. Karas stated, adding that Russia’s leader cannot be trusted. While surrounded by flags symbolizing fallen soldiers, he remarked, “You should bring Trump here. Have him witness this place. Let him see where the missile struck. Let him observe the aftermath.”
Even such a brief meeting between Mr. Trump and Mr. Zelensky appears to signal a significant shift. Throughout his presidency, the Trump administration has at times seemed overly accommodating towards Mr. Putin, marking a sharp change in U.S. foreign policy. Furthermore, Mr. Trump has openly expressed his disdain for the Ukrainian president.
Consequently, Mr. Trump’s comments on Truth Social after their meeting felt to many in Ukraine like a validation of their long-held belief that Mr. Putin might not be honest.
Since 2014, Ukraine has been at war with Russia in the eastern Donbas region, where Mr. Putin has failed to adhere to multiple peace agreements designed to halt the conflict. The Russian leader also asserted he had no plans for a broader invasion of Ukraine right before his tanks crossed the border in 2022 to commence the full-scale invasion.
This history underpins Ukraine’s insistence that any peace deal must include robust security guarantees—hence their desire for NATO membership, which is currently on hold.
Now, Ukrainians have offered an alternative to the Trump administration’s peace plan, advocating for a European peacekeeping force with U.S. support. In a social media post after Saturday’s meeting, Mr. Zelensky did not elaborate on the specifics of their conversation but mentioned they discussed the need for a “full and unconditional cease-fire” and “a reliable and lasting peace to prevent future conflicts.”
Mr. Trump has repeatedly claimed that Ukraine is losing the war and lacks the leverage to negotiate effectively with Russia—an approach to foreign policy that conflicts with many Western leaders’ views. Some leverage once held by Ukraine seems diminished: Russian military leadership reported on Saturday that Russian forces had entirely reoccupied the former Russian region of Kursk, over eight months after Ukrainian forces initially carried out a surprise invasion. On Sunday, Ukrainian officials insisted they had not lost all of Kursk.
Following the Zelensky-Trump meeting, Senator Lindsey Graham—a Republican from South Carolina who has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine but has altered his stance amidst Trump’s push for a quick resolution—sensed an opportunity. He praised the Trump administration’s efforts to negotiate a cease-fire and mentioned a recent bipartisan initiative to impose additional sanctions on Moscow.
Yet, it’s clear that pressure is mounting on Ukraine to reach an agreement, both domestically and from the Trump administration. Vitali Klitschko, the Kyiv mayor who has had a strained relationship with Mr. Zelensky, stated to the BBC shortly after Thursday’s missile attack that it might be time to consider conceding land for peace, at least temporarily. Mr. Zelensky also indicated that Ukraine might have to surrender some territory for a peace agreement—land they hope to reclaim through diplomatic means—provided they receive security guarantees similar to NATO membership.
Despite the optimism surrounding Saturday’s meeting between the two leaders, uncertainties about their relationship lingered. Following their brief discussions, a spokesperson from Ukraine mentioned that the two leaders would meet again later that day. However, Mr. Trump quickly left the pope’s funeral, expressing a desire to return to the U.S. by day’s end.
After boarding Air Force One, a Ukrainian representative confirmed that a second meeting would not take place due to the “very tight schedules of the presidents.”
Oleksandra Mykolyshyn contributed reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine.
