US President Donald Trump is showing growing irritation with Ukraine, which has dramatically changed the dynamics of relations between Washington and Kiev, The Economist reported, citing a source in the Ukrainian government. According to the source, in the seven weeks of Trump’s presidency, Ukraine has turned from an ally into a “client with imaginary debts,” reflecting the cooling of American support. The journalists found that this transformation was accompanied by internal disagreements in the Ukrainian military leadership, especially around the operation in the Kursk region, which began in August 2024. 

As it became known, some senior officers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces initially opposed the invasion of Russian territory. One of the commanders of the four elite units that participated in the offensive resigned before it began, expressing disagreement with the plan. Other skeptics who doubted the feasibility of the operation were removed from the decision-making process by Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky, who insisted on conducting the campaign. A source in Kyiv noted that these internal conflicts only increased the mistrust of Trump, who, according to the publication, considers Ukraine "ungrateful" for many years of US assistance. 

The situation complicates already tense relations. After his inauguration in January 2025, Trump suspended military aid to Kyiv, a move that was criticized by Congress but justified by it as an attempt to renegotiate U.S. commitments. According to Reuters, the pause lasted until March 11, when the Pentagon announced the resumption of supplies after talks in Saudi Arabia. But the cooling of relations remains evident: Trump has publicly called Zelensky a “trader” and hinted to reporters that Ukraine should “sort out its own problems.” 

On the front line, the operation in Kursk Oblast, initially seen as a success for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, has turned into difficulties. The Institute for the Study of War reports that by March 2025, Russia had recaptured more than 1100 square kilometers of the 1268 seized by Kiev, and fighting in the Sudzha area continues to drain the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ resources. Military analysts point out that internal divisions in the command may have affected the effectiveness of the operation, which is now being used by Trump as an argument against further support.