US President Donald Trump has said that he finds it "more difficult, frankly, to deal with Ukraine" than Russia as he attempts to broker a peace deal between the two nations.
Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office on Friday, Trump claimed that the US was "doing very well with Russia" and suggested that it "may be easier dealing with" Moscow than Kyiv. His remarks came hours after he said he was "strongly considering" imposing large-scale sanctions and tariffs on Russia until a ceasefire was reached in Ukraine.
The comments follow Trump's decision to pause all military aid and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine, a move that has raised concerns among NATO allies. The decision was accompanied by the temporary suspension of Ukraine’s access to some US satellite imagery, a development confirmed by space technology company Maxar.
The suspension, reportedly ordered by the US administration, restricts Kyiv’s ability to access critical high-resolution imagery used for battlefield intelligence. The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, which oversees the programme, stated that the decision was taken "in accordance with the administration's directive on support to Ukraine."
Tensions with Kyiv
The latest developments come a week after a heated exchange between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during which Trump publicly berated the Ukrainian leader for being "disrespectful" towards the US.
The tensions escalated further after Trump questioned Ukraine’s commitment to peace talks, stating, "I want to know they [Ukraine] want to settle, and I don't know they want to settle."
Trump’s foreign policy team, however, has struck a more conciliatory tone in recent days. The US is reportedly pushing for a settlement deal that would secure a major American stake in Ukraine’s mineral resources while pressing Kyiv to agree to a swift truce with Moscow.
Zelensky, on the other hand, has insisted on firm security guarantees from the US before proceeding with any agreement. He reiterated that Ukraine was "ready for peace as soon as possible" and had put forward "concrete steps" towards achieving it.
Russia escalates attacks
Amid the diplomatic uncertainty, Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on Thursday night. The assault came in the wake of Trump's aid suspension, further worsening Ukraine’s battlefield situation.
Despite the escalation, Trump appeared to defend Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions, saying, "I think he's hitting them [Ukraine] harder than he's been hitting them. And I think probably anyone in that position would be doing that right now."
His stance has unsettled US allies, many of whom have avoided direct engagements with Moscow since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Talks in Saudi Arabia
In an effort to de-escalate tensions, Trump’s senior officials are set to travel to Saudi Arabia next week to meet Zelensky’s team. The Ukrainian president expressed hope that the talks would be "meaningful."
Meanwhile, European leaders continue to bolster military aid to Ukraine, with the UK confirming that around 20 nations are interested in joining a "coalition of the willing" to support Kyiv against Russian aggression.
As fighting continued on the ground, Ukrainian officials reported that at least five people were killed in the Donetsk region on Friday.
