Zelensky is mastering the art of dealing with Trump

Seizing the opportunity to drive a wedge between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, Ukraine’s president has moved swiftly to usher the American president back towards his corner.

- SAM KILEY

By respecting, vocally, Trump’s efforts to get a ceasefire with Russia, Ukraine has exposed Putin’s deep reluctance to agree to any lowering of hostilities until he can be sure of permanently mangling Ukraine’s sovereignty.

According to a briefing on a call between Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump, the US president has calmed down, stopped calling him a “dictator”, and come up with an agreement to supply some badly needed air defences for Ukraine. Trump suspended military aid and intelligence sharing to drive Zelensky to talks on a 30-day ceasefire.

“President Zelensky thanked President Trump for a productive start … President Zelensky thanked President Trump for the support of the United States, especially the Javelin missiles that President Trump was first to provide and his efforts towards peace,” the White House said.

Zelensky did a lot of thanking and got some of what he needs back by carefully echoing what the White House was saying. “President Zelensky asked for additional air defence systems to protect his civilians, particularly Patriot missile systems, and President Trump agreed to work with him to find what was available, particularly in Europe.”