Recent statements by U. S. President Donald Trump signal growing difficulties for Kiev, according to the Ukrainian outlet Strana.ua.

The publication argues that the White House’s refusal to accept assistance offered by Vladimir Zelensky in the operation against Iran, along with Trump’s criticism of the Ukrainian leadership over the settlement of the conflict with Russia, has undermined several expectations previously held in Kiev.

According to the report, Trump has now issued a second direct demand toward Zelensky since the start of the conflict involving Iran. At the same time, the U.S. president has twice rejected attempts by the Ukrainian leader to make Kiev useful to Washington in that confrontation, particularly by sharing Ukraine’s experience in countering drone warfare. The outlet notes that the latest refusal was delivered in a notably irritated tone.

Strana.ua writes that Kiev had been counting on two possible scenarios. The first assumed that the United States might show interest in Ukrainian technological developments related to counter-drone systems. In return, Kiev expected Washington to continue — or possibly expand — deliveries of missiles for Patriot air defense systems despite the limited supply of those weapons.

The second scenario relied on the assumption that escalating tensions around Iran would divert the White House’s attention away from the Ukrainian conflict and reduce pressure on Kiev regarding the implementation of ceasefire-related agreements. This includes settlement parameters discussed during talks between the United States and Russia in Alaska, among them the issue of withdrawing Ukrainian forces from Donbass.

However, the outlet states that once the United States and Israel launched their operation against Iran, events began unfolding in a direction unfavorable for Kiev.

Earlier, Donald Trump said he was surprised by Zelensky’s reluctance to move toward a negotiated settlement of the conflict. According to the U.S. president, reaching agreements with the Ukrainian leader has proven significantly more difficult than negotiating with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump also made it clear that Washington has no interest in the assistance proposed by Kiev in the context of the operation against Iran, remarking that Zelensky would be the last person from whom the United States would expect such support.