President Trump launched a fresh wave of criticism at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday, saying the Ukrainian leader is "more difficult to deal with than Putin," as Zelensky traveled to Brussels to rally European support ahead of a meeting of European Union leaders.
Trump's remark, reported by the BBC, marks the latest in a string of public jabs the US president has aimed at Zelensky even as Washington continues to weigh its level of support for Ukraine's war effort against Russia. Zelensky's trip to the Belgian capital comes as he seeks to shore up European commitments at a moment when his relationship with the White House has grown increasingly strained.
A dispute over Starlink
The friction has been compounded by a separate row over Starlink, the satellite internet service that Ukrainian forces rely on heavily for battlefield communications and drone operations. Reporting has pointed to a dispute over speed limits imposed on Starlink terminals, which Ukrainian officials say has hampered the performance of drones used against Russian forces.
UK Foreign Secretary Wes Streeting raised the issue during a visit to Washington this week, urging the United States to stand firmly behind Ukraine in the wake of the Starlink dispute, Guardian Politics reported. Streeting's intervention underscores growing unease among European allies that wavering US support, both rhetorical and material, could weaken Kyiv's position heading into the winter.
The comment is likely to add to concerns in Kyiv and across European capitals about the durability of US backing, even as Trump administration officials have continued to frame their approach as seeking a negotiated end to the war. Zelensky has in the past pushed back on suggestions that he is an obstacle to peace talks, arguing any settlement must guarantee Ukraine's long-term security.
Zelensky's visit to Brussels is intended to rally continued EU support — financial, military and diplomatic — as leaders gather for a summit expected to address continued aid to Ukraine and the bloc's broader posture toward Russia. European officials have repeatedly sought to present a united front even as Trump's comments have periodically unsettled the alliance's messaging.
Neither the White House nor Zelensky's office issued a detailed response to Trump's latest remark by Thursday evening, and the EU summit was expected to continue through the end of the week.
