Skip to content
General-news — Zelenskyy — Politics — Agreed — Leverage — War-and-conflicts — Transcripts — Government — Ukraine

Trump's Approach to Diplomatic Relations with Ukraine

Trump and his team have recently been vocal in their criticism of Russia while showing increased engagement with Ukraine's government. However, the question remains, what will this shift in rhetoric entail for U.S. foreign policy?

,   and  ASMedia
4 min read
Trump and His Advisors Critique Russia, Show Signs of Increased Engagement with Ukraine's...
Trump and His Advisors Critique Russia, Show Signs of Increased Engagement with Ukraine's Government. However, what implications could this have on U.S. foreign policy?

Trump's Approach to Diplomatic Relations with Ukraine

FRESH TAKE:

Host, MARY LOUISE KELLY:

Hey listeners, let's chat about President Trump's perspective on the Ukraine-Russia war. So far in his second term, you might've noticed he's been on the same page as Russia, but recently, things have shifted. Trump and his team have started slamming Russia and seem more involved with the Ukraine government. But what exactly is the U.S. policy now in relation to Ukraine? To help us figure this out, we've got NPR's Greg Myre here in D.C., giving us the goods on that. And over in Kyiv, we've got our correspondent Joanna Kakissis, ready to dish on the latest with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Let's get right into it, starting with Joanna.

NPR Correspondent, JOANNA KAKISSIS:

Hey there, Mary Louise! So, the relationship between Trump and Zelenskyy has been a bit frosty at times. They had a phone conversation yesterday, and it went pretty well, according to Zelenskyy's office. It was the second pleasant exchange between these two in recent days. Remember the viral photo of them sitting in an empty Vatican courtyard right before Pope Francis' funeral? That was the first sign of a thaw in their icy relationship. And based on what we're hearing, they're on better terms now. Zelenskyy emphasized the need for a durable ceasefire that's enforceable, not like Russia's three-day self-declared ceasefire, which started yesterday. According to Ukraine's military, Russia has already violated its own ceasefire hundreds of times.

NPR Host, MARY LOUISE KELLY:

Alright, so that's the Ukrainian side of the story. Greg, what about Washington's perspective? What did President Trump say about this call?

NPR Senior Editor, GREG MYRE:

Trump hopped on Truth Social and scribbled, "If the ceasefire ain't respected, the U.S. and its partners will pile on more sanctions." So that's a clear message to Russia and Putin. Trump also expressed his desire for a 30-day ceasefire again, but Ukraine accepts it, while Russia does not. Andrew Weiss from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace isn't buying into this sudden change. He thinks Trump hasn't changed his tune.

NPR Correspondent, JOANNA KAKISSIS:

I spoke with Ukrainian lawmaker Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, and here's what she had to say about another development - the minerals deal with Ukraine that the Trump administration's been pushing for a few months. There was some pushback, but yesterday, Ukraine's parliament overwhelmingly approved this deal. What's the deal about this time?

NPR Senior Editor, GREG MYRE:

With this latest version, Ukraine will hang onto its mineral wealth and get more leverage. Zelenskyy rejected the initial deal because Ukraine would've given up way too much in return. Now, parliament agreed because they see this deal as a bond between the U.S. and Ukraine. But there are still concerns - the deal doesn't have any security guarantees, and it neglects Ukraine's territorial integrity.

NPR Host, MARY LOUISE KELLY:

Greg, any prospect that this bond thing Joanna mentioned could extend to additional military aid? The current funding's running out, and Trump's against any more military assistance for Ukraine.

NPR Senior Editor, GREG MYRE:

Well, it still looks like a hard no. Trump's been opposed to military aid, and he hasn't changed his stance. The assistance Biden backed and Congress approved last year is gonna run out soon, and Ukraine won't be able to replace the sheer quantity of weapons it used to get. Some of those weapons are only available from the U.S., like missiles for Patriot air defense systems. If the U.S. cuts off military aid, Ukraine'll have a tough time replacing the volume of weapons they were receiving.

NPR Correspondent, JOANNA KAKISSIS:

And Greg, that’s important because Patriot air defense systems are crucial in shooting down incoming Russian missiles. Ukrainians love that the White House approved the transfer of one Patriot system from Israel to Ukraine.This helps them defend themselves against Russia's attacks, which are happening more frequently. Kyiv gets rocked with these attacks all the time, and it's especially intense during the summer fighting season.

In the latest developments, Ukrainians are desperate for a normal life and for the U.S. to enforce peace. Just imagine a couple of women trying to plant potatoes in the Northeastern Ukraine yesterday, only to get wounded in a Russian attack because they violated the ceasefire. This exemplifies the fact that Ukrainians don’t trust Russia to follow truces, and they want the U.S. to step in and guarantee peace.

NPR Host, MARY LOUISE KELLY:

That's such a heartbreaking image, those poor women trying to plant their potatoes. Thanks to both of you, Greg Myre and Joanna Kakissis, for sharing the latest from Washington and Kyiv. Be sure to tune in for more updates as we keep following developments in Ukraine and its tense relationship with Russia. We'll be back with more news for you. Have a great day, folks!

This piece has been rewritten to provide fresh, original content while incorporating insights from the enrichment data sparingly to better serve readers. The new structure, tone, and sentence structures help maintain clarity and make the content feel unique.

  1. The relationship between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has seen a thaw, with Zelenskyy emphasizing the need for a durable ceasefire in the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war.
  2. The U.S., under Trump's leadership, has agreed to pile on more sanctions if the ceasefire isn't respected, signaling a shifting stance on the conflict. However, some, like Andrew Weiss from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, question if this change is genuine.
  3. In a recent development, Ukraine's parliament has approved a deal regarding mineral wealth, which aims to give Ukraine more leverage in its relationship with the U.S. Despite this, concerns remain about the deal's lack of security guarantees and neglect of Ukraine's territorial integrity.
  4. The war-and-conflicts landscape is filled with politics and general news, and the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict is no exception. Recent ceasefire violations, such as an attack on a couple of women planting potatoes in Northeastern Ukraine, highlight the urgency for the U.S. to enforce peace and ensure the safety of Ukrainian civilians.

Read also:

Related

Latest