Former U.S. President Donald Trump has privately conveyed to his aides that he has no intention of resuming military aid or intelligence sharing with Ukraine, even if Kyiv agrees to a minerals deal with Washington. This revelation was reported by NBC News on March 9, citing an unnamed official from the Trump administration and another American official familiar with the matter.
According to these sources, Trump’s decision is contingent upon Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s willingness to adjust his approach to peace talks with Russia. Trump reportedly expects Zelensky to demonstrate more openness to negotiations, which would include making concessions such as ceding occupied territories to Russia. This stance aligns with Trump’s long-held skepticism toward U.S. involvement in Ukraine’s defense efforts and his belief that a peace agreement should be prioritized over continued military support.
Amid these developments, U.S. and Ukrainian delegations are scheduled to meet in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on March 11. The primary objective of the meeting is to discuss the framework for a potential peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia. However, given Trump’s firm position on withholding military aid, the outcome of these discussions remains uncertain.
The former U.S. president has also expressed a desire for Zelensky to initiate steps toward holding elections in Ukraine, despite the ongoing martial law, which has been in place since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. According to NBC News, Trump’s demands extend to the possibility of Zelensky stepping down from office, a move that could significantly reshape Ukraine’s political landscape.
These tensions between Trump and Zelensky have been escalating in recent weeks. The situation reached a boiling point on February 28, when Zelensky visited the White House to finalize a minerals agreement with the U.S. During this high-stakes meeting in the Oval Office, Trump, accompanied by his Vice President JD Vance, reportedly insulted the Ukrainian leader, leading to a heated exchange. Following the confrontation, Zelensky chose to leave Washington without signing the agreement, signaling a deepening rift between the two nations.
Since the fallout from that meeting, Washington has suspended its military aid and intelligence-sharing initiatives with Ukraine, further straining relations between the two allies. Trump’s rhetoric has also played a role in these deteriorating ties. He has previously referred to Zelensky as a “dictator,” a characterization that echoes Russian propaganda aimed at undermining the legitimacy of Ukraine’s democratically elected government.
Adding another layer to the geopolitical drama, Politico has reported that Trump’s team has been engaged in covert discussions with former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and another prominent opposition leader, Yuliia Tymoshenko. Both Poroshenko and Tymoshenko have allegedly sought to present themselves as more accommodating figures who might align with Trump’s vision for U.S.-Ukraine relations. Their involvement suggests a possible shift in Washington’s preferred political partners in Kyiv should Trump return to the White House.
Despite these challenges, Zelensky’s popularity among Ukrainians appears to be resilient. A recent poll conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, published on March 7, indicates that Zelensky’s approval rating has surged to 68%, suggesting that his defiant stance against Trump’s demands may have strengthened his support at home.
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