“AMAZING JOB”
Since his return to power in January last year, Trump has ended direct deliveries of US arms to Kyiv in favour of the PURL programme, which allows European countries to buy weapons and then supply them to Ukraine.
But Washington remains a major ally of Kyiv, providing it with intelligence and access to the Starlink satellite system that enables frontline communications.
At a previous meeting in Washington in October 2025, Zelenskyy failed to convince Trump to provide Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles.
The relationship appears to have healed since the pair’s stunning Oval Office exchange in February 2025 in front of the world’s cameras, when Trump accused Zelenskyy of ingratitude and “gambling with World War Three”.
The US leader has since changed his tone, and during their last encounter in Türkiye earlier this month, he offered words of encouragement, saying Zelenskyy had done “an amazing job”.
He also announced his intention to allow Ukraine to produce anti-aircraft Patriot missiles, which Kyiv says it badly needs to face down Russian attacks.
In another sign of easing tensions, US influencers close to the MAGA orbit such as Laura Loomer and Tim Pool have recently voiced their support for Ukraine, after having long opposed aid to Kyiv.
Zelenskyy spoke last week with Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner about how to “reinvigorate diplomacy”, after the US-Israeli war in the Middle East put the brakes on talks.
Previous US mediation efforts between Moscow and Kyiv broke down over disagreements over the question of Ukrainian territories claimed by Russia.
