Trump shifts tone on Ukraine amid frustration with Putin: FT
6 Min Read
Trump’s growing frustration with Putin marks a rhetorical shift, raising questions about the White House’s evolving stance on the Ukraine conflict.
-
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, right, and US President Donald Trump talk as they attend the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, April 26, 2025 (AP)
Over the past week, Trump has stated that he plans to supply Ukraine with more weapons, such as Patriot air defense systems, while also indicating his readiness to impose significantly harsher sanctions on Moscow and criticizing the Russian president. He also pledged to release a "major statement" regarding the Ukraine war this upcoming Monday but provided no further details.
“We get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin,” Trump stated on Tuesday, adding, “He’s very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.”
Trump's anger marks a significant change in the White House's tone, the Financial Times reported, as the president had spent the initial months of his second term repeatedly accusing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of being responsible for the conflict, even publicly rebuking him in a notorious Oval Office confrontation in late February.
Since then, Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with Russia's refusal to compromise in negotiations over a potential ceasefire, which would help facilitate a lasting resolution, a key foreign policy objective for the US president.
Ukraine can't breathe a sigh of relief just yet
While Trump's shift on Putin provides some relief that Washington will not abandon Ukraine, it does not mean Kiev is out of the woods just yet.
Max Bergmann from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank, told the FT that Trump's tougher stance serves as a warning to Russia and Putin, signaling his frustration with their delaying tactics. However, Bergmann cautioned that this does not necessarily indicate a major shift in US policy, suggesting Washington is unlikely to suddenly become a stronger ally or more substantial supporter of Ukraine than it has been so far.
During last month’s NATO summit, Ukrainian President Zelensky emphasized that his top priority was securing air defenses to protect cities from Russian attacks, according to Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the leading Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Following Trump’s recent pledge to send additional Patriot systems to NATO allies for Ukraine, Shaheen cautiously welcomed the move, stating it would be positive if the president actually delivers on his promise.
Shifting geopolitical winds
In his Friday evening address delivered from Kiev, Zelensky noted that the geopolitical momentum appeared to be turning in Ukraine's favor as he stated, "We have received political signals at the highest level — good signals, particularly from the United States of America and from our European friends," while emphasizing these encouraging developments.
Zelensky also mentioned that Kiev would engage in discussions about military cooperation with Keith Kellogg, Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, in the coming week, while expressing anticipation for significant actions regarding sanctions as well.
Scant chance of stronger pro-Ukraine stance
While Trump's tougher tone has sparked cautious optimism in Europe about a possible shift in his approach, two senior officials engaged in defense and security talks with Washington noted that there remains scant concrete evidence of the administration adopting a stronger pro-Ukraine position.
According to the officials, Ukraine's Western allies continued to operate under the assumption that Trump still viewed Putin as his principal counterpart in any potential peace agreement while considering Zelensky the major impediment to reaching a viable resolution.
The officials further noted that although Patriot systems were essential for strengthening Ukraine's defensive capabilities to protect both its military forces and urban centers, these weapons would not enhance Kiev's offensive capacity to retaliate against Russia nor alter the fundamental balance of the conflict.
“There’s a little bit of overexcitement based on a shift in tone,” one of the officials told the Financial Times, noting, “But we’re not seeing that translate into major actions.”
Trump frustrated with Putin, not growing favor for Zelensky
Rachel Rizzo, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center, suggested that Trump's recent announcement likely stemmed more from his growing irritation with Putin rather than any particular fondness for Zelensky or genuine backing for Ukraine.
Zelensky has grown more adept at handling Trump after the Oval Office clash, with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron coaching him to shower the US president with effusive praise and consistently express gratitude for Washington's support, according to officials familiar with the discussions.
Ukraine continues to navigate an administration where doubts about aiding Kiev remain widespread, stemming both from officials who argue the US should prioritize Asia over Europe and those who fundamentally oppose foreign intervention.
“What we have seen is a lack of consistency in this administration’s approach to Ukraine, and what we need to do to support ending that conflict and pressuring Russia,” Shaheen stated to the FT.
The Trump administration maintains its engagement in negotiations with Moscow, as demonstrated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio's recent meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during discussions in Malaysia this week, though the talks failed to produce any significant progress.
US, Russia still negotiating
Rubio informed reporters that Russia had shown a modified "approach" during the talks while withholding specific details and cautiously, stating, "I wouldn’t characterise it as something that guarantees a peace," without suggesting any concrete diplomatic progress had been made.
Lavrov emphasized the Kremlin's unwillingness to compromise on Putin's maximalist demands, directly informing Rubio that he had "confirmed the position Putin has put out" without indicating any flexibility in Russia's stance.
“It was obvious from the first talks after inauguration that Putin wasn’t interested in peace except on his terms. He thinks he can win the war,” Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center in Berlin, told the FT.
“Putin decided there’s no point doing a deal with the US because western support for Ukraine is fracturing anyway. We’ll have to see on the battlefield if he was right," Gabuev added.
