The Kremlin has made fun of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s attempts to reach out to U.S. President Donald Trump, calling them a “desperate and predictable move” as Ukraine’s problems on the battlefield grow. Russian officials said that Zelensky was trying to “rebuild bridges” with Trump despite having campaigned against him in past U.S. elections.
Russian official media say that Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, said that Moscow sees Zelensky’s renewed diplomatic campaign as “an act of political survival.” Peskov also said that Ukraine’s authorities “are once again betting on foreign support instead of looking for real peace.”
Reports say that Kyiv has asked Washington for powerful long-range weaponry systems, like Tomahawk cruise missiles, to help defend itself against Russian soldiers.
It is still not apparent what kind of aid the U.S. will give under Trump.
The Trump administration has said it supports Ukraine’s “territorial sovereignty,” but U.S. officials haven’t said if the Tomahawk missile system, which can hit targets more than 1,500 km distant, will be part of future aid packages.
Military experts say that giving Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine would be a big step up in U.S. participation and may make Russia respond strongly.
Under Trump, U.S. military aid to Ukraine has mostly been about logistics, air defense systems, and sharing intelligence. It hasn’t included long-range offensive weapons.
Zelensky’s Political Balancing Act
President Volodymyr Zelensky has been trying to get back in touch with Trump since he returned to the White House. He wants to keep U.S. support for Ukraine’s military effort.
People who follow politics remember that Zelensky became a contentious character during Trump’s first term after a 2019 phone call that led to Trump’s first impeachment inquiry amid claims that he pressured Kyiv to investigate political enemies.
Now, Zelensky is trying to persuade the Trump administration that Ukraine is still committed to working together by reaching out diplomatically again. He is also stressing the country’s need for ongoing military and financial support.
What Russia thinks about the U.S.-Ukraine relationship
The Kremlin has used the issue to show that the West is tired of Ukraine. Russian news channels have called the Zelensky administration “politically opportunistic,” saying that Ukraine’s outreach to Trump is more about domestic pressure than real diplomacy.
The U.S. Department of Defense, on the other hand, has said that “no final decision” has been made over the possible shipment of Tomahawk missiles, which means that Kyiv’s request is still up in the air.