Is Ukraine Resigned Regarding Its War Prospects?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, appearing in a Fox News interview in late October, was asked a direct question: Would he accept a peace deal that froze the battlefield where it stood, leaving Ukraine with roughly 75 percent or more of its territory? “Yes,” he replied. When asked the same question in August 2025, he said, “Ukrainians will not gift their land to the occupier.” In February of the same year, he said, “Judicially, we will not recognize … our occupied territory like territory of Russia. We will never do it.” And earlier in the war he had insisted on full restoration of Ukraine’s 1991 borders.
Waning U.S. Support
The recently changed response reflects growing pressure on Ukraine. Under President Donald Trump’s second administration, direct U.S. military and financial assistance to Kyiv has fallen dramatically . American weapons and ammunition deliveries have largely stopped. Officials and analysts estimate that U.S. support has dropped by as much as 95 percent compared with earlier levels. Europe continues to buy American-made systems for Ukraine, but even those transfers face delays. Paperwork for Patriot interceptor missiles sits unsigned on the desk of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Ukrainian officials report that their stockpile of critical interceptors has dwindled to only a few.
Citing the national interest, Trump recently waived key sanctions on Russia that Congress passed. He also pursued a deal to import Russian diesel fuel, a move critics said would inject billions into Moscow’s war economy. At the same time, Ukraine has experienced disruptions in U.S.-provided intelligence and a temporary throttling of the military-grade Starshield satellite network used for drone operations and communications. Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian cities arrived with less warning than before.
Trump’s Views Changing?
Trump has publicly criticized Zelensky, calling him more difficult to deal with than Russian President Vladimir Putin and suggesting it is time for someone else to negotiate on Ukraine’s behalf. Zelensky responded with unusual sharpness, accusing the United States of favoring Russia and insisting that Ukraine would continue strikes on Russian energy infrastructure so long as Moscow attacked Ukrainian cities. The two leaders’ personal relationship, already strained since a contentious Oval Office meeting in early 2025, appeared close to a breaking point.
On the ground, the reduced American support carries immediate consequences. Ukrainian forces face shortages of air-defense munitions as Russia prepares intensified winter campaigns against energy infrastructure. European allies have stepped up purchases of U.S. weapons, yet the overall flow of advanced systems has slowed. Intelligence sharing, once a cornerstone of Ukraine’s defensive advantage, has become less reliable. Diplomats from both sides continue talks, but optimism for a swift settlement remains limited.
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