As Trump turns toward Russia, Zelensky drops his restraint

The Kyiv Independent · 20.10.2026, 18:17:51

President Volodymyr Zelensky has spent much of the past two years trying to win over Donald Trump. Flattery, constant meetings, and carefully calibrated concessions have become hallmarks of his dealings with the U.S. president. But the strategy has failed, prompting Zelensky to change course and adopt a more confrontational tone. "Frankly, Trump has crossed the Rubicon," a Ukrainian official told the Kyiv Independent, summing up the mood in Kyiv following Washington's latest deals with Moscow