"It's too early to think U.S. has abandoned Ukraine" — political scientist

He shared his opinions with Espreso TV.

"In reality, the United States has not significantly abandoned Ukraine, despite what some say. While the rhetoric has shifted, there are no major signs that the U.S., or specifically Donald Trump, has divided the world or made deals behind our backs while completely disregarding our interests. That would be an exaggeration. For Trump, the idea of a quick victory remains important—whether fortunately or unfortunately—so he can claim that while no one else could end this war, he did. This motive still drives him. However, after more than a month in the Oval Office, he and his administration are likely realizing that the situation is far more complex and that ending the war quickly is not feasible. Those in Kyiv likely heard the echoes of that reality last night," he said.

Vladyslav Faraponov believes that since the inauguration, both Trump and the new administration have realized that things are not as straightforward as they seemed, and that it’s impossible to end the war quickly. In particular, considering that on the night of February 23, the Russian army launched 267 Shahed-type drones at Ukraine.

"Therefore, I would say that we certainly have reasons to be wary of such rhetoric, as it could signal unpredictable actions and potentially pressure on Ukraine regarding this agreement, and possibly even a ceasefire agreement. Again, if it happens. But it seems to me that it is too early to bury Washington under anti-Ukrainian sentiments. After all, U.S. support remains very important to us, both nominally and in practice, so I would say it’s still too early to think that the United States has abandoned us," said the political scientist.

• During the attack on the night of February 23, Russian forces launched the largest number of strike drones at Ukrainian territory since Iranian drones began targeting Ukrainian cities and villages.
• On February 23, 2025, Steve Witkoff, former U.S. Special Representative to the Middle East and now the U.S. President’s envoy for negotiations with Russia in Saudi Arabia, appeared on CNN, where he made statements regarding the causes of the Russian-Ukrainian war and what, in his opinion, could form the basis for reaching an agreement between the warring sides.