‘Ukraine more difficult to deal with than Russia’

US President Donald Trump steps off Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, on March 7, 2025. Trump is spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort.

US President Donald Trump has openly stated that he finds it "more difficult, frankly, to deal with Ukraine" than Russia as he navigates attempts to broker peace between the two nations. Speaking from the Oval Office on Friday, Trump expressed frustration with Kyiv, contrasting it with what he described as smoother negotiations with Moscow.

This statement comes amid growing tension following Trump's decision to pause all US military aid and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine. The move, which stunned NATO allies, was compounded by the US temporarily suspending Ukraine's access to high-quality satellite imagery provided by space technology firm Maxar. The decision, confirmed by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, was made "in accordance with the administration's directive on support to Ukraine."

Clash with Kyiv

Trump’s stance on Ukraine took a sharp turn after a heated exchange with President Volodymyr Zelensky a week ago, where he accused the Ukrainian leader of being "disrespectful" toward the US. This public rebuke was followed by growing pressure from the US for Ukraine to agree to a truce with Russia. Reports suggest that Trump's administration is pushing for a settlement that would grant the US a significant stake in Ukraine's mineral resources while also discussing security guarantees at a later stage.   

Zelensky, however, remains firm in seeking strong security assurances before any deal is signed. Despite his recent fallout with Trump, the Ukrainian leader has attempted to repair relations, even reportedly sending a letter expressing "apology" and "gratitude" to the US president.

Intensified assault: Meanwhile, Russia capitalized on the shifting dynamics by launching large-scale missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on Thursday night. Trump, in response, floated the idea of imposing additional tariffs and sanctions on Moscow, though he simultaneously noted that Putin's aggressive actions were predictable. "I think he's hitting them [Ukraine] harder than he's been hitting them, and I think probably anyone in that position would be doing that right now," Trump remarked. While Trump has expressed belief that Putin wants the war to end, he remains skeptical about Ukraine’s willingness to settle. "I want to know they [Ukraine] want to settle, and I don't know they want to settle," he stated.

Road ahead: The US administration is set to send senior officials to Saudi Arabia next week for high-level discussions with Zelensky’s team. These negotiations come as European nations ramp up their military aid efforts, with a growing coalition of countries committing to bolstering Ukraine’s defenses. Despite the turmoil, Zelensky has maintained that Ukraine is "ready for peace as soon as possible" and has proposed "concrete steps" to achieve a resolution. 

However, the escalating battlefield situation and the complex geopolitical stakes suggest that a swift resolution remains elusive. As Trump walks the tightrope between diplomacy and strategic interests, the world watches to see whether his unconventional approach will lead to a resolution—or further deepen the crisis.