Trump’s Three Moves in Two Weeks Send Ukraine Reeling as Russia Strikes Kyiv Hours After Talks
The United States has sharply shifted its posture toward Ukraine and Russia, alarming Kyiv as Moscow continues deadly attacks despite claiming openness to negotiations.
In just two weeks, Washington took three actions that alarmed Ukraine: it sanctioned the International Criminal Court (ICC), waived its own sanctions on Russia, and called Russian President Vladimir Putin a humanitarian [269777]. The United States also threatened to cut off intelligence sharing and waived tariffs on Russian exports, signaling a sharp shift in its relationship with Kyiv [265028]. President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, blaming him partly for high energy costs tied to Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries [265028].
The tensions extend beyond rhetoric. A diesel deal could help Russia fund its war effort, and a disruption of U.S.-provided satellite internet services has raised concerns about Ukraine's military capabilities [265028]. Ukraine says SpaceX's Starlink satellite network remains restricted on the front lines, contradicting Trump's statement that limits had been lifted [269462].
Russia launched a massive missile attack on Kyiv overnight, just hours after Putin said he had agreed to resume three-way negotiations following talks with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff [268568]. The attack killed at least two people and wounded 22 others, including four children. Missiles hit the southern bridge over the Dnipro River, civilian homes, energy infrastructure, an ambulance station, office buildings and a clinic [268568]. Experts describe the strike as a "demonstrative" attack meant to send a political message, and say Russia is trying to destroy Ukraine's energy infrastructure before winter arrives [268568].
Putin said Russia is ready for new talks with Ukraine, while claiming that occupied Ukrainian land is "historical Russia" [269779]. He cited unnamed genetic studies to support his claim that Russians and Ukrainians are "one people" [269779].
Zelenskyy has named three possible security guarantees for Ukraine after the war: NATO membership, direct guarantees from the United States, and a European "Coalition of the Willing" [269803]. He added that even Russia needs one of these guarantees but did not say which one [269803].
The United States has resumed ballistic missile warnings to Ukraine after Kyiv went a week without advance notice during Russian attacks [267248]. During that period, Russia launched multiple ballistic missile strikes on Kyiv, and Ukraine received no early alerts, leaving authorities unable to warn civilians before the missiles landed [267248].
The International Criminal Court and its officials won the European Union's top human rights award, the Sakharov Prize, just days after the Trump administration imposed sweeping new sanctions on the ICC [268271]. The measures are part of a U.S. campaign to dismantle the tribunal, which has investigated the United States and its allies [268271].
Poland has paused a military aid package to Ukraine after a regional vote in Lviv honoring WWII nationalist figures [269801]. The dispute centers on a local decision in the western Ukrainian city, and Poland has long objected to honoring leaders of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a WWII-era nationalist group accused of massacring Poles [269801].
Russia has blocked the Red Cross from seeing Ukrainian prisoners of war since 2024, and about 1,500 captives it never officially confirmed as prisoners face prosecution [269795]. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is meant to visit POWs under the Geneva Conventions, the international rules of war [269795]. Moscow has also never registered roughly 1,500 of these captives as prisoners of war, meaning they can be treated as criminals and put on trial [269795].