The Kremlin is openly welcoming a dramatic shift in U.S. foreign policy as President Donald Trump ratchets up pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, eases sanctions on Russian fuel exports, and casts doubt on continued American military support for Kyiv — moves that Russian officials are treating as a strategic windfall in ongoing peace negotiations.
Trump publicly suggested Monday that Ukraine should replace its chief negotiator, saying, “I think it’s time for somebody else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine.” The following day he doubled down, arguing that Russia “just keeps grinding forward” and pressing Kyiv to reach a settlement with Moscow. These are not neutral observations. They align almost perfectly with the Kremlin’s preferred narrative.
The timing is striking. Trump’s rhetorical offensive against Zelenskyy has coincided with his administration’s decision to ease restrictions on Russian diesel exports and waive additional sanctions that had been scheduled to take effect. The Washington Post reported Tuesday that Russian officials now see Western backing for Kyiv as potentially weakening — a perception Moscow is actively cultivating.
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Zelenskyy and European leaders in Oslo before preparing to travel to Moscow, where Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed he is expected to brief President Vladimir Putin on the talks. The diplomatic choreography positions Washington as a mediator increasingly sympathetic to Russian conditions.
Ukraine has also reported disruptions to its access to Starshield, the military-grade satellite communications system operated by SpaceX and critical to battlefield coordination and drone operations. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has said the U.S. government controls Starshield access; Trump has denied ordering any restrictions. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday there had been no deliberate policy directive to harm Ukraine — while acknowledging that some Patriot missile interceptors purchased by European allies may not yet have been delivered to Kyiv.
Inside Russia, the mood among the elite is triumphant. Kremlin special envoy Kirill Dmitriev posted a single word online: “Checkmate.” Members of Moscow’s political class described Putin — a former KGB officer — as having once again successfully managed an American president. Kremlin spokesman Peskov dismissed Ukraine’s continued strikes on Russian oil refineries as “final signs of agony,” adding that Kyiv’s resistance “cannot change the course of events.”
Zelenskyy traveled to Oslo to repair fraying relations with Washington and lobby for continued military assistance, including air-defense systems and intelligence sharing. He said Tuesday that Ukraine had resumed receiving early warnings of Russian missile attacks after raising alarms about gaps in that support — a small but significant sign that the pipeline has not been fully severed. Finnish President Alexander Stubb described the Oslo discussions as productive.
European officials continued pressing for concrete security guarantees as part of any eventual settlement, wary that Washington’s posture is shifting in ways that could leave Kyiv exposed. Whether Trump’s moves represent a deliberate strategy to force a negotiated end to the war, or simply an accommodation of Russian interests dressed up as dealmaking, the consequences for Ukraine — and for the credibility of Western security commitments — are real and immediate.