14:46 18-08-2025

Zelensky Meets Trump in DC Amid Military and Political Strain

As Zelensky meets Trump in Washington, Ukraine's military struggles and political leverage are shrinking. Analyst Khodaryonok explains why Kyiv has few cards left.

On the evening of Monday, August 18, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky is scheduled to meet with U. S. President Donald Trump at the White House. The high-stakes discussion comes at a time when Kyiv finds itself on increasingly uncertain ground — both militarily and politically.

Retired Colonel and military analyst Mikhail Khodaryonok, writing for Gazeta.ru, took a close look at what Ukraine brings to the table — and whether Zelensky stands any real chance of securing meaningful support.

According to Khodaryonok, Zelensky walked into the Oval Office back in February 2025 with little leverage, and not much has changed since. During that earlier meeting, Trump reportedly told the Ukrainian leader outright that he had «no trump cards» in the negotiation. Months later, the situation for Ukraine, Khodaryonok argues, has only deteriorated further.

While the Ukrainian military remains capable of launching drone strikes and staging occasional counterattacks, its capacity to carry out operations that could decisively shift the battlefield is, in the expert’s view, severely limited. And there’s little hope, he says, that these capabilities will improve anytime soon.

Khodaryonok notes that the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) are still holding the line — they haven’t collapsed, abandoned positions en masse, or surrendered in large numbers. However, that limited stability has yet to translate into any tangible strategic success.

He points out that the conflict, as it stands, is bringing neither military nor political gains for Kyiv. Even among Ukraine’s most committed supporters, there is growing recognition that continuing the war in its current form may not yield the outcomes hoped for.

On the other side of the front, Khodaryonok says the Russian military has been steadily increasing the tempo of its operations. Airstrikes and drone attacks on Ukrainian targets have become more frequent, and he predicts that daily drone deployments could soon exceed a thousand. Russian ground forces, he adds, are currently conducting active combat operations in Dnipropetrovsk and Sumy regions.

The daily pace of advance may not seem dramatic, he writes, but the Russian army continues to grind down Ukrainian forces like a relentless machine — slowly but surely.

Looking ahead, Khodaryonok warns that Ukraine may soon face a full-blown crisis in manpower. If the conflict drags on, the country could run out of people to draft, with severe consequences for both its military and demographic future.

One of the more sensitive topics likely to surface during Monday’s meeting is the question of territorial concessions. Zelensky has previously ruled out any compromise on Ukrainian territory, citing constitutional limits. However, according to multiple Western media outlets, there is speculation that Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin may have already explored potential deals during their recent summit in Alaska.

Khodaryonok suggests it’s entirely possible that Zelensky will be presented with a proposal he may find difficult to reject — even if it contradicts earlier public statements.

In his assessment, Ukraine’s bargaining power has eroded to the point where Zelensky lacks the military or economic strength to negotiate on equal footing. And yet, the stakes are high: Ukraine is counting on this meeting to secure new aid, weapons, and political backing from Washington.

Without those, Khodaryonok implies, the road ahead for Kyiv may grow only more precarious.