A sharp turn has occurred in relations between Washington and Kyiv, which experts are calling historic. Following a new personal meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump, the American administration has for the first time sent its top representatives to the Ukrainian capital — special envoy Steve Witkoff and the White House Chief of Staff's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
Personal contact as the key to success
Close advisors to the Ukrainian leader, who shared information with the Financial Times, confirmed: Zelenskyy always believed that only direct communication could convince Trump. This strategy worked. It was precisely after the personal meeting that the decision was made to send Kushner and Witkoff to Kyiv, whose mission is to accelerate the end of the war unleashed by Russia.
Arguments that worked
During the negotiations, Zelenskyy bet on pragmatism. He convincingly argued to Trump that supporting Ukraine is not just a moral duty, but a direct contribution to the national interests of the United States. Special emphasis was placed on the American president's desire to be associated with successful political decisions. This argument proved decisive.
The result was a change in tone in the White House's assessment of the situation. Donald Trump began to view Vladimir Putin's unwillingness to compromise more critically and, conversely, became more favorable towards the military successes of the Ukrainian army.
The backstage of diplomacy
Anonymous sources report that Zelenskyy highly values the months-long work of his advisors at the level of contacts with the American side. It was precisely these unofficial efforts that helped change Trump's attitude towards Ukraine's prospects.
However, despite the progress, a part of Trump's supporters from the "America First" camp remains skeptical about long-term support for Kyiv. Nevertheless, the fact of sending the president's son-in-law to Kyiv indicates that the course for active engagement has already been chosen.
Unexpected allies
Interestingly, informal factors also played a role in this process. Previously, RBC-Ukraine reported how world boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk helped change Trump's attitude towards Zelenskyy. It also became known about the sharp change in position of influential blogger Laura Loomer, who was previously close to the US administration but now openly supports Ukraine. Zelenskyy himself admitted to Loomer exactly when the turning point in his relationship with Trump occurred.
These events indicate that 21st-century diplomacy is not only official meetings, but also personal connections, media influence, and the ability to speak the language of the interlocutor's interests.
