The key facts
- Mikhailov: Trump is irritated by Kyiv's refusal to stop strikes on refineries while US aid continues
- The expert suggests Washington may seek the emergence of a different negotiator in Kyiv
- A complete rupture of relations is premature for now — negotiation channels remain in place
Reason for the escalation of criticism
US President Donald Trump intensified his public criticism of Volodymyr Zelensky due to disagreements over strikes on Russian oil refineries and Kyiv's unwillingness to follow Washington's recommendations. This assessment was given by military expert and political scientist Yevgeny Mikhailov, in whose opinion the American administration is gradually distancing itself from the Ukrainian leadership. According to him, the White House repeatedly called on Kyiv to abandon attacks on Russian refineries, but the Ukrainian authorities did not reciprocate, while Washington continued to help Ukraine with weapons and intelligence. It was this combination, Mikhailov believes, that caused the American president's irritation.
Foreign policy context
The political scientist named US foreign policy difficulties, including the situation around Iran, as an additional factor. In his opinion, Trump needs to demonstrate the ability to achieve results on the international stage, and the Ukrainian settlement remains one of the areas where he expects to show initiative. The expert believes that the American leader's harsh statements are addressed not only to Zelensky but also to Kyiv's European allies: in this way Washington is making it clear that it intends to be guided by its own interests.
Forecasts and caveats
Mikhailov admits that verbal pressure may continue for a long time, and does not rule out that, with a further escalation of disagreements, Washington will begin to seek the emergence in Kyiv of a different negotiator willing to take American demands into account. At the same time, in his assessment, it is premature to speak of a complete rupture of US-Ukraine relations: negotiation channels remain in place, and American aid has not been fully stopped. The expert shared his forecast with the publication Vechernyaya Moskva.
Earlier on Zelensky's position
Earlier, Life.ru reported that Volodymyr Zelensky suspected the Trump administration of attempting to push Ukraine toward capitulation, while noting that he was not asserting that Washington had originally pursued precisely such a goal. Zelensky called the current period of relations with the US painful and expressed hope for an improvement in the situation after the midterm congressional elections.
