Recently, relations between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump have noticeably improved. Only a few weeks ago, the two spoke during the NATO summit in Ankara, recalls the German public television ARD. At that time, Trump expressed his admiration for the fact that Ukraine is developing and producing new modern weapons. The US president also promised Zelensky a license to produce missiles for the "Patriot" air defense systems.
Now the Ukrainian president says that he is optimistic about his visit to Washington. According to him, the last few meetings with Trump have gone well. "I expect that our relations will continue to improve. We are counting on this", Zelensky told the British television channel Sky News.
The change in Laura Loomer's rhetoric
Washington's point of view on Kiev has definitely changed, writes ARD. A year and a half ago, Zelensky was expelled from the White House after a meeting with Trump, which ended in a scandal. At that time, the center of power in the United States categorically did not believe that the Ukrainian president had a chance to resist Russian aggression without their help. Now, however, things are different. There are many signs of rapprochement.
Right-wing influencer Laura Loomer, who is said to have a very close relationship with Donald Trump, recently traveled to Ukraine. In an interview with Zelensky, Loomer publicly stated that she had spread lies about Ukraine in the past. She admitted that she was part of "a group of people in the United States who were disappointed with the state of their country" and thought that Washington was spending money on Ukraine in vain while the US was in a bad economic situation. After seeing Ukraine with her own eyes, Laura Loomer changed her mind - now she expresses her admiration for the resilience of the people in the country. After another Russian attack on Kiev, Loomer wrote on her X profile that she "felt like a real asshole" for belittling the suffering of Ukrainians in recent years.
Zelensky is looking for new friends among Republicans
In recent weeks, other signs have emerged that Ukraine is gaining support among the faction of the Republican Party, which generally supports a policy against US interventions abroad, writes "Politico". Among them is Vice President J.D. Vance, who recently praised Ukraine's defense strategy and pointed out that Kiev's performance on the battlefield could contribute to creating conditions for peace.
According to "Politico", however, not everyone in the "America First" camp in the Republican Party is thrilled with Laura Loomer's change in rhetoric. Nor do they plan to change their position. Some even raise the question of whether there are no selfish goals or interests behind Loomer's new positions.
Zelensky is trying to convince Republicans, who are skeptical of the US commitment to Ukraine, with several key arguments, including newly emerging evidence that Russia supports Iran. Such messages could provoke a reaction among supporters of the MAGA movement, who generally support US and Israeli strikes against Iran, although this support is weakening, the American magazine writes. Trump, however, remained uninterested when asked about Zelensky's claims on Monday. "Well, we'll find out if that's true. I'll ask Putin about that," he said.
On Lindsey Graham's funeral
During his visit to Washington, Ukrainian President Zelensky is also expected to attend the funeral of US Senator Lindsey Graham, whom he called a "true freedom fighter". Graham was one of the few voices within the Republican Party urging Trump to take tougher measures against Russia. However, Graham's influence has not been able to completely change the president's position. Shortly before his death, the senator visited Kiev and announced that a new package of sanctions against Russia would soon be adopted.
The planned sanctions will cause serious damage to the Russian economy, including the energy sector, finance and the military industry, ARD writes. It will affect oligarchs, businessmen and even Russian President Vladimir Putin himself. Additional tariffs are also planned for countries that trade with Russia and buy oil and gas from Moscow. After long refusing to increase pressure on the Kremlin, Trump now seems more open to the idea.
In addition to the upcoming sanctions, which the late Graham also spoke about, Zelensky is expected to discuss with Donald Trump additional support for Ukraine's air defense at today's meeting. "We simply don't have enough air defense systems to intercept ballistic missiles", Zelensky commented. "We have some of our own Ukrainian solutions for drones and other threats, including some missiles. But we can't deal with Russian ballistic missiles on our own. For that, we will need the support of our partners."
Mina Kirkova (editor) | ARD