Washington—Just a week ago, Donald Trump branded Volodymyr Zelensky a dictator. Now, on Friday, he is set to host the Ukrainian president at the White House and sign a deal granting the U.S. access to Ukraine's rare minerals. This dramatic shift follows a week of intense international diplomacy as Kyiv scrambles to maintain Western support despite Trump’s recent overtures to Russia.
Trump reversed long-standing U.S. policy on Ukraine two weeks ago when he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and initiated talks aimed at ending the three-year war. His stance alarmed allies, especially after he accused Zelensky of being a "dictator without elections" and suggested Ukraine bore responsibility for Russia’s 2022 invasion.
However, Trump’s tone has softened in recent days following visits from French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. He also appeared to walk back his attack on Zelensky, despite previously refusing to retract it—even as he avoided calling Putin a dictator.
"Did I say that? I can't believe I said that," Trump remarked when pressed by journalists about his comments during a meeting with Starmer.
His criticism of Zelensky was fueled in part by the Ukrainian leader’s initial resistance to the rare minerals deal. However, as negotiations progressed, Trump has shifted his rhetoric, signaling a potential thaw in relations as he prepares to finalize the agreement.
The Washington talks provide a diplomatic boost for Zelenskiy, who has repeatedly emphasized the importance of meeting Trump in person before the U.S. president engages in discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"The Ukrainians have been quite adept at turning this situation around, using the minerals deal as a gateway to deepen engagement with the U.S.," said a senior European diplomat based in Kyiv, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
Kyiv hopes the agreement will encourage Trump to support Ukraine’s war efforts and potentially persuade Republicans in Congress to approve new aid. While Ukraine has significantly expanded its defense industry, it remains heavily dependent on foreign military assistance and faces ongoing challenges in replenishing its forces against a much larger adversary.
Despite repelling Russia’s initial invasion near Kyiv and reclaiming substantial territory in 2022, Ukraine still faces an uphill battle. Russia continues to hold about a fifth of Ukrainian land and has been making slow territorial gains since Ukraine's unsuccessful counteroffensive in 2023. Ukrainian forces, however, now maintain a foothold in Russia’s western Kursk region following a 2024 incursion.
Recently, Trump and Zelenskiy have engaged in a public feud, with Trump criticizing Zelenskiy’s wartime leadership, calling him a "dictator," and urging him to accept the minerals deal. However, when asked about his remark during a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday, Trump appeared to downplay it. "Did I say that? I can’t believe I said that," he remarked.
Trump also expressed optimism about his upcoming meeting with Zelenskiy and praised Ukraine’s military for its courage. "We’re working very hard to bring this war to an end. I believe we’ve made significant progress, and things are moving quite rapidly," he said. "It will either happen fairly soon, or it won’t happen at all," he added, without elaborating.
Starmer, meanwhile, stated that he and Trump had discussed a peace plan that would be "tough and fair," shaped with Ukraine’s input, and reinforced by strength to deter future Russian aggression. He also confirmed Britain’s willingness to deploy military personnel as peacekeepers, emphasizing that "this is the only way to ensure lasting peace." Trump, however, avoided committing the U.S. to such a role, sidestepping Starmer’s request for American participation.
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