Why Zelensky insists it’s not personal with Trump — even though it is

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told CNN's Christiane Amanpour that his latest rift with President Donald Trump is not personal, but CNN's analysis holds that personal considerations shape nearly everything about Trump's approach to the war. At issue is whether Ukraine's survival now depends on more than resisting Russia.

CNN points to a string of recent moves. Trump has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to the G20 summit, is weighing a three-way meeting of Trump, Putin and China's Xi Jinping without Ukraine present, and is withholding Patriot missiles. A diesel deal could send billions of dollars to Russia, and Trump has also waived a new sanctions law aimed at Russia. Envoy Steve Witkoff called Putin a "humanitarian" in St. Petersburg, which Trump defended as a way to win the release of American prisoner Stephen Hubbard.

Zelensky objected to the diesel deal and the waiver, saying they give Putin more money, but he vowed Ukraine will not let Putin win. Two modest openings emerged this week: Russia agreed to join trilateral talks with Washington and Kyiv, and Zelensky repeated his offer to freeze current frontlines.

Summarized by PolitiKool from CNN’s reporting. Read the full story at CNN →