Ukraine’s recent successes in the war with Russia impressed Donald Trump. At the NATO summit in Ankara, he even compared the current situation with his meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in February 2025, when Trump said that the Ukrainian president “had no cards” to play in confronting Russia. “It’s hard to believe, right — from the Oval Office to today… I think we’ve developed a very good relationship,” Trump said, sitting next to Zelensky. His warm words came as a surprise and pleasantly impressed the delegations of European countries, the Financial Times writes. “This will only be the beginning… And you know, the country [Ukraine] has a great future ahead of it.”

The changed tone toward Ukraine helped Europeans overlook Trump’s sharp remarks, including the threat to withdraw all American troops from Europe, FT officials familiar with the negotiations said. According to one of them, Trump “clearly” indicated that the United States would support Ukraine more actively and was considering taking additional steps to help Kyiv achieve a breakthrough on the battlefield. “He behaved with dignity and seriousness,” a second official said about the American president.

Trump told reporters that he would speak with Vladimir Putin on Wednesday evening, noting that, in his view, the conditions Putin is setting for ending the war “are changing.” “I think they are probably gradually improving, moving closer to some of the things you like,” Trump told Zelensky. “We are putting strong pressure on President Putin. I don’t think he likes what is happening… I don’t think he is thrilled with what is going on.”

No public reports followed about the conversation with Putin that Trump had promised. It is known that they last spoke on July 4, U.S. Independence Day. Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov did not disclose any substantial details at the time, describing the conversation as businesslike and “highly constructive.” It was the fourth conversation between the two leaders since the beginning of the year.

Trump’s changed attitude was reflected in the joint statement issued by NATO countries following the summit.