Kathrine Frich
For many Ukrainians, expectations of Washington have shifted sharply over the past year.
Hopes that U.S. leadership would remain steady have been replaced by growing doubt about motives and priorities.
Public sentiment now reflects frustration with what is seen as unpredictability at the top of American politics.
Growing disillusionment
Donald Trump’s approach to the war in Ukraine has led to widespread disillusionment among the Ukrainian public.
According to analysis by Martin Fornusek, senior news editor at Kyiv Independent, many Ukrainians believe the U.S. president is less concerned with how the conflict ends than with being able to present himself as a peacemaker.
The prevailing view is that Trump wants to add Ukraine to a personal list of “conflicts ended,” regardless of the terms or consequences for Kyiv.
This perception has weakened confidence in Washington’s commitment to Ukraine’s core interests.
Listening to Moscow
Ukrainians have closely followed statements and signals from Trump and his inner circle.
Many have noted what they see as a willingness to entertain Russian arguments.
These include skepticism toward Ukraine’s NATO ambitions, openness to Russian territorial claims, and even suggestions that responsibility for the war is shared. In Ukraine,
Fornusek notes, the question of who started the war “is not really up for debate.”
Such rhetoric has deepened concerns that U.S. policy under Trump is drifting away from Ukraine’s position.
Trust collapses
The shift in attitude is reflected in public opinion data. An opinion poll from December showed that only 21 percent of Ukrainians trust the United States.
That figure is roughly half of what it was a year earlier, before Trump took office.
cFor many Ukrainians, the drop signals not anti-American sentiment, but anxiety about leadership in Washington.
Trust, once lost, has proven difficult to rebuild.
Unreliable partner
Trump’s perceived sympathy for authoritarian leaders such as Vladimir Putin has reinforced doubts.
While there have been occasional “bright spots,” they have done little to change the overall picture.
These included moments when Trump imposed sanctions on Russian oil giants or briefly “appeared” to support sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine.
Fornusek argues these sudden shifts only strengthened the belief that U.S. policy is erratic.
Under Trump, the United States is increasingly viewed as unpredictable at best, and unreliable at worst.
Sources: Kyiv Independent
