Trump isn't as strong without his fans – Ukrainian Congress Committee spokesman

He shared this opinion on Espreso TV.

"It was a good day for activists here in America. Not only did we have a whole week where the focus shifted a little more in America and in the international press to the Russian attack. People understood what happened from Palm Sunday to Easter, during Holy Week, during those attacks on Ukraine. Different Republican voices, and also various Christian voices, raised this issue inside the Republican circle. And it helped that the president finally visited Europe. He originally planned to visit Saudi Arabia again, like he did during his first term, but this time, because of the funeral of the Pope, he came to Europe. And, I think, that's the key difference," he said.

Andriy Dobryansky noted that Trump acts differently when he doesn't have his vice president or most of his close White House advisers with him. He added that, in the Vatican, Trump saw how many friends Ukraine has.

"He (Trump during the conversation with Zelenskyy – ed.) looked just as hunched over as he was when he sat with the Democrats, when he was under pressure to support the budget. When he doesn't have his fans around, he's not as strong. And I think there are consequences to that, when the public saw him standing in front of (the cathedral – ed.) St. Peter's. And when he saw how the whole world supports President Zelenskyy in the name of the Ukrainian people, and that America — and he personally — stood apart. And that's probably uncomfortable. But we know, when he's not surrounded by his fans, as we saw in February in the Oval Office, when he could use abusive words against Ukraine and against President Zelenskyy, here, when he's alone, he has to turn and find friends. And I think Ukraine helped him a lot here, and Mr. Zelenskyy helped him too," he said.

• On Saturday, April 26, 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. President Donald Trump at Pope Francis' funeral — their first meeting since their altercation at the White House in late February.
• On April 26, it was reported that following a personal conversation with President Zelenskyy at the funeral, U.S. President Donald Trump issued a sharply critical statement against Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.