Zelenskyy’s Trump dilemma: Fight back or fold?
Defying the U.S. president risks costing Ukraine vital military support. But giving in could prove even more dangerous.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is faced with a difficult choice as Donald Trump's "very big and important deal" to acquire diesel fuel from Russia threatens to come at the worst possible time for Ukrainians. The U.S. president's plan to lift sanctions on Moscow for diesel imports has come as a surprise to most Ukrainians who are enduring barrages of drone and missile attacks, with civilian casualties mounting.
Zelenskyy has criticized the deal as a "weak decision" and a "gift to Putin" that will fund Russia's war. He has approved further drone strikes on Russian refineries, prompting Trump to call for Ukrainians to replace him as their leader. Zelenskyy shows no signs of heeding Trump's command to stop striking at Russia's energy industry, reflecting mounting exasperation in Kyiv.
While Zelenskyy's tougher tone may be a response to mounting frustration, venting anger comes with risks. The Ukrainian leader may be underestimating how dangerous a wounded Trump could be for Ukraine. Trump's leverage over Ukraine and Europe has diminished, but there is fear that his pursuit of a deal with Moscow will come at Ukraine's expense.
Written by urgent.news from Politico EU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
