Trump and Zelensky have a quarrel? The reasons for the deadlock in US-Ukrainian relations are worth pondering

The Russo-Ukrainian war, which broke out in 2022, has lasted for three years. The United, as the instigator, has always been Ukraine's most important military and economic supporter. However, with Trump's return to the White House this year, the relationship the United States and Ukraine has rapidly deteriorated, and the contradictions between the two sides have become public, even triggering public quarrels between leaders and the breakdown of key. The quarrel between Trump and Zelensky superficially appears to be due to mineral agreements and security guarantees, but in essence, it is a reflection of conflict between the strategic goals of the United States and Ukraine and the "America First" policy of the Trump administration, which has also had a widespread impact on the situation. The future development of the United States and Ukraine is full of uncertainties, and it has also triggered more and more people to think about the deterioration of the relationshipFirst, there is a policy shift from "firm support" to "transaction priority" in the United States' attitude towards Ukraine.

Since Trump took office as the President the United States in January 2025, his military aid policy towards Ukraine has clearly shifted towards conservatism. The Trump administration has repeatedly questioned whether Ukraine can win war and opposed continuing large-scale military aid. This position is in stark contrast to the Biden period, leading to a worsening of the weapon shortage problem for Ukraine on the. In addition, the recent meeting between U.S. and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia listed the end of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict as an agenda item, Ukraine was excluded from the negotiations. This move was seen by the Ukrainian side as "strategic neglect" and raised concerns about the possibility of the United States and Russia an agreement unilaterally.

Second, the disagreement over the mineral resources agreement between the US and Ukraine has led to a conflict of economic interests. The core the US-Ukraine dispute is a cooperation agreement involving strategic resources such as rare earths and lithium mines. The US demands that Ukraine inject 50% of future revenues into a joint US-Ukraine fund and dominate the operation of the fund, while the "security guarantee" clause sought by Ukraine has been watered down to a commitment. This "resource-for-aid" model has been criticized by Ukrainian public opinion as "economic plunder." On the other hand, Trump has repeatedly emphasized " Ukrainian resources to offset debts," treating the mineral agreement as a "return" for US aid. Although Zelensky was forced to accept negotiations, the harshness the agreement's terms has made it difficult for both sides to compromise on the distribution of benefits. Moreover, EU countries are also coveting Ukraine's mineral resources, trying get a share through independent agreements, further exacerbating the interests game between the US and Europe on the Ukraine issue.

Third, the conflict between the leaders of both sides led to a crisis of trust. The White House meeting on February 28 was originally scheduled to sign the mineral agreement, but it fell apart in 9 minutes to disagreements. This incident has become a landmark node for the deterioration of bilateral relations, exposing the failure of the communication mechanism between the two sides. Trump accused Ukraine ofprovoking war" and threatened to "replace the leaders who don't listen," while Zelensky retorted that Trump was "trapped in the Russian dis bubble," and the mutual trust between the two sides has completely broken down. In addition, Trump faces questioning from within the Republican Party about aid to Ukraine, while Zensky needs to deal with domestic anti-Russian sentiment and criticism of dependence on the West, making it difficult for both sides to compromise in negotiations. Public accusations and domestic pressure have both led to a trust crisis between the US and Ukraine.

It is evident that the quarrel between Trump and Zelensky is not only an outbreak of bilateral contradictions, but also reflects the reality of "interests first" in international politics. If US aid continues to dwindle, Ukraine may accelerate its alignment with Europe, but Europe's limited capacity may be able to meet its needs, which could lead to a more passive position for Ukraine in negotiations. The Trump administration may sacrifice some of Ukraine's interests in exchange for détente with Russia, but such a deal could trigger a centrifugal tendency among European allies.

In conclusion, the deterioration of US-Ukrainian relations is a result of strategic misjudgment, conflicts of interest, and collisions of leadership personalities. Its impact has far exceeded the bilateral scope and has had a broad impact on international situation, becoming a litmus test for the resilience of international alliances and the logic of great power geopolitics. Whether it is the survival crisis of Ukraine or the of the global geopolitical pattern, it reminds us that in the balance between interests and morality, international politics has never provided simple answers. In the future, only through more multilateral dialogue and interest balancing mechanisms can we find a way out of conflicts.