It's Volodymyr Zelensky vs Donald Trump now! Ukraine's conflict with US is more brutal than war with Russia

In 2022, Volodymyr Zelenskyy became a symbol of resistance overnight as he stood outside his office in Kyiv to film wartime messages while Russian bombs fell. A former comedian, Zelenskyy used his skills to garner global support as Ukraine faced the largest invasion in Europe since the Second World War.

“On the international stage, he has become a brand for Ukraine,” said Oleksandr Merezhko, head of the Ukrainian parliament’s foreign affairs committee and member of Zelenskyy’s ruling party.

But things changed in a matter of just three years! In the last few weeks, Donald Trump has repeatedly attacked Zelenskyy, claiming ‘he is a dictator without elections with a 4 per cent approval rating’. Also, Trump had a sudden change of heart for President Vladimir Putin and announced that preparations are underway for an in-person meeting.

For Zelenskyy, the political battle just got tougher! Here's why?

The challenge now is not just to inspire the world but to keep it engaged and supporting Ukraine. With Trump rewriting the script and Ukraine’s future hanging in the balance, Zelenskyy finds his role has suddenly changed.

Noting the same, Alexander Rodnyansky, a Ukrainian film producer said while speaking to Finacial Times, “Like every role, the success is finite and wears off over time. The world changed and the time changed and I feel like he didn’t realise it yet.”

Rodnyansky is the founder of 1+1, the channel where Zelenskyy made his name as a comedian.

How Zelenskyy is responding to Trump's threats?

Experts view Trump’s clash with Zelenskyy as a move to pressure Ukraine into accepting the minerals deal.

For the context, Trump said last week the US was owed $500bn worth of Ukraine’s resources — from mineral deposits to oil and gas, and even infrastructure such as ports — in exchange for past military assistance to defend against Russia. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy has rejected the proposal, insisting any deals on mineral resources must be linked to post-conflict US security guarantees

“We do not recognize the debt,” Zelenskyy said. “It will not be in the final format of the agreement.”

Also, Trump's ‘dictator’ comment did not go down well; Zelenskyy responded, saying the US president was living in a Russian ‘disinformation bubble’.

Also, ahead of the US and Russian diplomats meeting, Zelenskyy made another passionate appeal to become a part of NATO, saying that if Ukraine does not join NATO, they would have to create NATO within Ukraine.

“We all need peace--long-lasting and reliable one. We also want a good economic deal that will be part of a true security guarantee system for Ukraine and the free world. Our teams are working every day and we are making great progress.”

He also indicated that he was ready to quit as Ukraine's president if it meant Kyiv would be admitted to the NATO alliance.

How Europe in responding?

In a show of support for Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen posted that Europe was in Kyiv “because Ukraine is in Europe.”

“In this fight for survival, it is not only the destiny of Ukraine that is at stake. It’s Europe’s destiny,” she wrote.

European Council President António Costa on Sunday announced a special meeting of European leaders on March 6.

“We are living a defining moment for Ukraine and European security,” Costa said in a social media post announcing his decision to convene the special European Council, as reported by POLITICO.

“In my consultations with European leaders, I’ve heard a shared commitment to meet those challenges at EU level: strengthening European Defence and contributing decisively to peace on our continent and long-term security of Ukraine,” he added.