--- title: "Volodymyr Fesenko: Why Donald Trump's Tough Behavior Triggers a Crisis in Relations with Ukraine" description: "Political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko explained Trump's harsh stance towards Ukraine as the result of a pre-election diesel deal with Moscow and emotional political factors." date: 2026-10-24T09:02:22.107Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/fesenko-on-us-ukraine-relations-crisis tags: [zelenskyy, trump, fesenko, usa-ukraine, geopolitics, energy-truce] author: "Andrey Kosynko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Volodymyr Fesenko: Why Donald Trump's Tough Behavior Triggers a Crisis in Relations with Ukraine ![Political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko giving an interview in a studio during a podcast](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/24/fesenko-o-krizise-otnosheniy-ssha-i-ukrainy/fesenko-o-krizise-otnosheniy-ssha-i-ukrainy-1.webp) ## Key Points - Trump's sharp attacks are driven by pre-election context and a diesel deal concluded with Russia. - Moscow offered Washington symbolic fuel supplies ahead of the November voting. - Ukraine remains ready for an energy truce if critical infrastructure attacks stop symmetrically. - US pressure on Kyiv manifested through Starlink limitations and intelligence transmission delays. - The emotional similarities between Zelenskyy and Trump complicate compromise-seeking diplomacy. The recent escalation in relations between Washington and Kyiv has exposed the fragility of diplomatic agreements against the backdrop of large-scale geopolitical processes. As Ukrainian political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko points out, the sharp attacks by US President Donald Trump against Ukraine and Volodymyr Zelenskyy came as a surprise to many observers, yet they conceal pragmatic pre-election maneuvers and new initiatives from Moscow. Against this backdrop, support for the Ukrainian leader inside the country has surged again, while experts continue to analyze the causes of this latest transformation in American foreign policy. ### The Phenomenon of Political Swings and the Diesel Deal According to the expert, predictability in the actions of the US administration is virtually non-existent, perfectly illustrating the phenomenon of the so-called Trump swings. The situation escalated following the conclusion of a diesel agreement between Russia and Ukraine (and the US), which served as a symbolic pre-election gift for the White House. Russian President Vladimir Putin offered petroleum product supplies amounting to 300,000 tons in October and 500,000 tons in November, allowing Washington to demonstrate fuel price stabilization to voters. Such moves by Moscow effectively negated preliminary agreements on an energy truce and laid the groundwork for a serious crisis in the US-Ukrainian dialogue. ### Energy Truce and Pressure on Kyiv Ukraine's initial position was based on its readiness to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries exclusively on the condition of a mirror response from Moscow halting attacks on critical Ukrainian infrastructure. However, following the conclusion of the oil deal, pressure on Kyiv from the United States intensified, taking on a targeted and unofficial character. This involved technical restrictions on the operation of Starlink terminals, reduced bandwidth for military communication modifications, and delays in transmitting critical intelligence regarding missile threats. Such leverage is used by Washington to compel Ukraine to make concessions without reciprocal security guarantees. ### Similarities Between Leaders and Settlement Prospects Despite obvious contradictions and diametrically opposed positions, the political analyst draws attention to a certain psychological similarity between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump. Both leaders are prone to strong emotions and making non-standard decisions in critical situations, which often complicates the negotiation process. Under the current circumstances, the Ukrainian leadership continues to insist on engaging a wide circle of international partners, including European states and China, capable of exerting real influence on the Kremlin's position and ensuring a long-term balance of power. ### Significance of the Current Crisis and Potential Consequences Examining the prospects for future developments, experts agree that the current tension in Kyiv-Washington relations is systemic and directly linked to the US domestic political calendar. Washington's attempts to balance the demands of the election campaign with the need to contain Russia create serious risks for the European security architecture. The further course of events will depend on the American administration's readiness to take Ukraine's strategic interests into account, as well as Kyiv's ability to maintain a firm negotiating stance under external pressure. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Зеленский раздражает Трампа, потому что играет не по правилам: интервью с Владимиром Фесенко](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/zelenskiy-dratue-trampa-bo-grae-pravilami-1792798864.html) - Primary interview source with Volodymyr Fesenko regarding the causes of the Ukraine-US crisis. - [Переговоры Трампа и Зеленского завершились - все подробности](https://glavred.info/analytics/peregovory-trampa-i-zelenskogo-zavershilis-vse-podrobnosti-10798613.html) - Material on negotiations between Zelenskyy and Trump in New York and the energy truce proposal. - [«Война не может быть бесконечной»: что известно о встрече Зеленского, Трампа и Макрона](https://www.rfi.fr/ru/%D1%83%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B0/20241209-%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B9%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D0%BD%D0%B5-%D0%BC%D0%BE%D0%B6%D0%B5%D1%82-%D0%B1%D1%8B%D1%82%D1%8C-%D0%B1%D0%B5%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B5%D1%87%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B9-%D1%87%D1%82%D0%BE-%D0%B8%D0%B7%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%BE-%D0%BE-%D0%B2%D1%81%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%87%D0%B5-%D0%B7%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE-%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%BF%D0%B0-%D0%B8-%D0%BC%D0%B0%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B0) - Information regarding European diplomatic meetings involving the leaders of Ukraine, the US, and France. - [«Сигнал для России». Что получил Зеленский от встречи с Трампом](https://www.gazeta.ru/politics/2026/09/23/23594125.shtml) - Russian official reactions to statements by the Ukrainian leadership regarding conflict resolution. ## FAQ ### Why did Donald Trump criticize Ukraine again? The reasons include pre-election maneuvers and a symbolic diesel agreement between the US and Russia that altered the negotiation balance. ### What are Ukraine's conditions for an energy truce? Kyiv is ready to stop strikes on Russian oil refineries only if Russia stops attacking the Ukrainian energy grid. ### How does indirect US pressure on Ukraine manifest? Pressure appears through targeted restrictions on Starlink terminals and reduced data speeds for military communication.