In a recent chat with Time magazine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed serious worries about how Russian disinformation is affecting American leaders. He pointed out that it seems some folks in the US administration might trust Russian President Vladimir Putin more than their own intelligence agencies.
"Russia has found a way to sway some people on the White House team with their information," Zelensky stated. He feels that Russia is trying to send a message to Americans, suggesting that Ukrainians are not interested in ending the ongoing war, which puts pressure on the US to push Ukraine toward a resolution.
The relationship between the US and Ukraine became more strained after a heated meeting at the White House that included Zelensky, US President Donald Trump, and Vice President JD Vance. This intense exchange resulted in a temporary halt to military aid and intelligence support for Ukraine. Although assistance was restored after more discussions, the incident left Kyiv questioning how reliable US support really is.
To add to the confusion, US special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, echoed Russian narratives during an interview with far-right commentator Tucker Carlson on March 21. "Russia has taken back these five regions. They have Crimea, and they've gotten what they wanted. So why do they need more?" Witkoff asked, casting doubt on the future of US policy.
Zelensky also took issue with former President Trump's remarks about an alleged encirclement of Ukrainian troops in Russia's Kursk Oblast, calling them "a lie." Trump made these statements just before a scheduled call with Putin on March 18 to discuss a potential peace deal, which included a US-proposed 30-day ceasefire that Ukraine had already agreed to.
While Putin initially appeared open to the ceasefire, he later added conditions, such as the complete cessation of all foreign military and intelligence support for Ukraine. During his conversation with Trump, Putin reiterated his stance.