Politico: Trump says praising Zelenskyy "best way to get back at Putin"

US President Donald Trump believes that complimenting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and supporting Ukraine are the most effective ways to retaliate against Russian President Vladimir Putin.

At the beginning of the year, it was difficult to imagine a positive relationship between Zelensky and Trump, especially after their unsuccessful meeting in the Oval Office on February 28, 2025, Caliber.Az reports, citing Politico.

The discussion escalated into a dispute, with the Ukrainian president accused of being ungrateful for US support, and planned agreements failed to materialise.

Over time, tensions between the leaders eased, eventually giving way to a warming of relations.

A source cited by Politico credited Zelenskyy for his persistent efforts to improve ties with the US leader and for exercising caution in his public statements.

Evidence of improved relations is seen in their late-September meeting in New York during the UN General Assembly’s anniversary session. After that encounter, Zelenskyy returned to Kyiv with positive updates and signals that suggested hope for stronger US-Ukraine relations and progress for peace in Ukraine.

Media reports also began circulating that Ukraine might receive long-range Tomahawk missiles, which Zelensky reportedly managed to negotiate preliminarily.

“The best way to get back at Putin is to praise Zelenskyy — that’s how Trump sees it,” a Politico source said. The source added that increasing US support for Ukraine would also serve as a form of retaliation against the Kremlin’s leader.

According to a Republican foreign policy source, Russia’s ongoing attacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine significantly influenced Trump’s stance.

The source also noted that the US president was angered by media coverage of the Alaska summit, which portrayed it as a “Putin triumph.”

To that end, Washington has recently increased its intelligence-sharing with Ukrainian forces to assist in long-range attacks on energy targets deep inside Russia, bringing the consequences of the war home to ordinary citizens.

Meanwhile, talk of supplying Ukraine with Tomahawk Cruise missiles is meant to scare the Kremlin — although the risk of escalation will likely deter Trump from going that far.

By Khagan Isayev