Link to The US president described Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “courageous” and said Ukraine was “holding its own” against Russia, as Kyiv steps up attacks on Crimea, energy infrastructure and military communications sitesThe US president described Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “courageous” and said Ukraine was “holding its own” against Russia, as Kyiv steps up attacks on Crimea, energy infrastructure and military communications sites
Donald Trump has praised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, calling him “courageous” and saying he is “doing pretty well” in the war against Russia.
The US president made the remarks during a White House meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, after being asked whether he believed Zelenskyy was winning the conflict.
“He’s doing pretty well, no matter how you look at it,” Trump said. “He’s holding his own at least. A lot of people are dying on both sides, but I think he’s doing pretty well.”
Trump added that Zelenskyy had shown courage and credited Ukraine’s military strength. “He’s got great equipment, but he’s got great men, he’s got fighters,” he said.
The comments came as Ukraine continued to intensify its campaign against Russian military and energy infrastructure. Ukrainian forces recently destroyed a key railway bridge in Crimea, part of a wider effort to isolate the Russian-occupied peninsula and disrupt Moscow’s supply routes.
Kyiv has also struck a major natural gas processing plant and two important satellite communications centres inside Russia, according to Ukrainian military officials. The attacks form part of a growing long-range campaign targeting energy facilities, logistics networks and military industries that support Russia’s war effort.
Ukraine’s drone and missile strikes on Russian oil refineries have reportedly doubled since the start of 2026. One major refinery is said to be unlikely to resume production for six months after being hit by Ukrainian drones.
In response, Moscow has redeployed some air defence systems from Russian regions to protect the capital and Crimea’s Kerch Bridge, a vital route for supplying Russian forces. Zelenskyy said the move showed that Ukraine’s strikes were forcing Russia to divert resources.
The Ukrainian president also said communications equipment allegedly used to assist drone operations from Belarusian territory had stopped functioning, days after he warned Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko to disable it.
“It is important that as many Russians as possible come to understand that it is the Russian leadership’s rejection of diplomacy that is prolonging the war,” Zelenskyy wrote on X.
Trump has demanded an unconditional ceasefire, which Zelenskyy has accepted. Russian President Vladimir Putin has refused, though Moscow has said it remains ready for peace talks after Ukrainian strikes on infrastructure contributed to fuel shortages.
Meanwhile, European leaders have reaffirmed their support for Kyiv. The leaders of Germany, France, Italy, Poland and the United Kingdom met in Berlin and pledged continued backing for Ukraine.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said there were signs that Russia’s mounting losses and economic pressure were weakening support for the war in Moscow.
“This is a really important moment to ramp up the pressure on their economy with more sanctions and provide Ukraine with more military support,” Starmer said.
The UK has also announced a new support package worth almost £290m to strengthen Ukraine’s recovery and energy security. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said Britain stood with Ukraine not only in its current fight, but also in its future reconstruction.
For Ukraine, Trump’s latest remarks offer a rare note of personal praise from the US president at a delicate moment in the war. Kyiv is trying to show that its long-range strike campaign can hurt Russia’s military machine, while also maintaining Western support for a conflict now in its fifth year.
(Associated Medias) - All rights reserved