Can Ukraine win over Donald Trump?
Officials in Kyiv remain optimistic they can secure continued support from the US under a Trump presidency

Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election has been widely considered a potential disaster for Ukraine and its war efforts against Russia.
Trump's scepticism about Nato and his apparent admiration for Vladimir Putin raised questions over whether he would maintain the level of support Joe Biden has so far given Kyiv, with the incoming president obliquely suggesting he would negotiate a peace deal even before he takes office in January.
But Trump's victory does not necessarily signal an immediate end to US support for Ukraine, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy was one of the first to congratulate him on his victory, perhaps on a charm offensive to ensure the "stronger cooperation" he hopes for.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
How much Zelenskyy can count on Trump's support to fulfil Ukraine's objective in fending off Russia remains unclear, but there is belief that the new administration could be swayed into maintaining support.
What did the commentators say?
Trump is "famously transactional" and so Zelenskyy has been trying to "frame proposals that incentivise close cooperation" rather than "cutting off critical aid", said Christopher Miller, Max Seddon and Henry Foy in the Financial Times. Those proposals include sharing "critical natural resources" with the US once the war is over, as well as replacing "some US troops stationed in Europe with Ukrainian forces".
Zelenskyy is right to respond to Trump's reelection with "mitigation and preparation" rather than "resignation or panic", said Eugene Finkel in The Spectator, and the "doomsday scenarios" perhaps "overestimate" the total impact of the US's withdrawal of support despite it being a "painful blow".
Trump is likely to be "attuned" to the consequences of a total Russian takeover of Ukraine, making "strong-arming Kyiv to cede territory" and "abandon its bid for Nato membership" the most likely scenario the next administration has in mind.
The president-elect has allies in Europe that also want to negotiate a "peace deal" to "end the war". These include Hungary's President Viktor Orbán and Pope Francis, the former the "closest EU leader to Mr Putin", said The Independent. However, a peace deal will almost certainly involve giving up territory to Moscow, something "opposed by all the other Western allies in Nato".
It is also a scenario Kyiv cannot countenance, but officials there are still holding "cautious optimism" that they can win Trump round, said Joshua Keating at Vox. Not only because they feel they can appeal to his "business instincts", but also because he has shown signs of support for Ukraine in the past, approving the sale of anti-tank Javelin missiles in 2019 and giving his "blessing" to "congressional allies" to support a new aid package earlier this year.
What's more, Kyiv hopes having Trump on side will allow them to "take the gloves off" and alleviate the frustration of the supportive Biden administration, which has restricted the use of some long-range weapons in Russian territory over fears of escalation.
What next?
If Trump's aim is to fast-track a ceasefire, the key "unknown element remains Mr Putin and what he would settle for", as well as whether an agreement would be enforceable in the long term, said The Economist. The Russian president has also been giving "contradictory signals" about his "willingness to negotiate", something that will make Trump's path to a peace deal much harder.
However, if he manages to end the war with agreed "terms that Ukrainians can live with", Trump will be able to "brag of achieving something Biden could not", said Max Boot in The Washington Post. It remains a gamble though, and if "Ukraine loses the war and its independence while he is in office" it will be a "stain on his presidency".
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Richard Windsor is a freelance writer for The Week Digital. He began his journalism career writing about politics and sport while studying at the University of Southampton. He then worked across various football publications before specialising in cycling for almost nine years, covering major races including the Tour de France and interviewing some of the sport’s top riders. He led Cycling Weekly’s digital platforms as editor for seven of those years, helping to transform the publication into the UK’s largest cycling website. He now works as a freelance writer, editor and consultant.
-
What does the Le Pen verdict mean for the future of French politics?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION Convicted of embezzlement and slapped with a five year ban on running for public office, where does arch-conservative Marine Le Pen go from here — and will the movement she leads follow?
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Discount stores were thriving. How did they stumble?
The Explainer Blame Walmart — and inflation
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Kaja Kallas: the EU's new chief diplomat shaping the future of European defense
In the Spotlight Former Estonian Prime Minister's status as an uncompromising Russia hawk has gone from liability to strength
By David Faris Published
-
Kaja Kallas: the EU's new chief diplomat shaping the future of European defense
In the Spotlight Former Estonian Prime Minister's status as an uncompromising Russia hawk has gone from liability to strength
By David Faris Published
-
Trump 'not joking' about unconstitutional 3rd term
Speed Read The president seems to be serious about seeking a third term in 2028
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Why does Donald Trump want Greenland?
The Explainer Trump is not the only US president who has tried to gain control of Greenland
By The Week UK Published
-
What dangers does the leaked Signal chat expose the US to?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION The White House's ballooning group chat scandal offered a masterclass in what not to say when prying eyes might be watching
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump sets 25% tariffs on auto imports
Speed Read The White House says the move will increase domestic manufacturing. But the steep import taxes could also harm the US auto industry.
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Even authoritarian regimes need a measure of public support — the consent of at least some of the governed'
instant opinion 'Opinion, comment and editorials of the day'
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Waltz takes blame for texts amid calls for Hegseth ouster
Speed Read Democrats are calling for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and national security adviser Michael Waltz to step down
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
USPS Postmaster General DeJoy steps down
Speed Read Louis DeJoy faced ongoing pressure from the Trump administration as they continue to seek power over the postal system
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published