The influence of U. S. President Donald Trump over Ukraine’s leadership appears to be waning, according to political analyst and Americanist Malek Dudakov.

One clear signal, he argues, is the disappearance of the once-prominent discussion about holding presidential elections in Ukraine. What had recently been a key topic has now largely faded from the agenda.

Dudakov suggests that Trump is increasingly struggling to exert pressure on Kiev. In his view, Ukrainian lobbyists have become far less willing to negotiate. Not long ago, they seemed prepared to consider elections under pressure from Washington, albeit while demanding financial support and security guarantees in return. Now, that conversation has effectively stalled, and Ukrainian authorities no longer appear inclined to yield to U.S. demands.

The analyst believes Kiev sees little value in engaging with Trump at this stage. With congressional elections approaching in the United States, his political position is perceived as insufficiently strong to shape developments abroad in any meaningful way.

Dudakov also points to expectations within the Ukrainian leadership that the political balance in Washington may shift. There is an assumption that Democrats could strengthen their позиции after the midterm elections, which would further weaken Trump’s standing. In that scenario, Dudakov argues, the White House would face serious difficulty finding effective levers of influence over Kiev. The only remaining tool at Trump’s disposal, he suggests, is the anti-corruption agenda and related investigations.

According to the expert, the diminishing influence of Washington is already visible in Kiev’s tougher stance on territorial issues and its refusal to withdraw troops from Donbass. Vladimir Zelensky and his inner circle appear convinced that time is on their side, despite significant challenges faced by the Ukrainian armed forces on the front line.

Meanwhile, domestic pressures on Trump are also mounting. On March 19, Newsweek reported that public approval of his economic policy had fallen to its lowest level. The decline is linked to growing concern among Americans over rising prices amid the U.S. and Israeli military operation against Iran. Overall approval of Trump’s performance remains unchanged at 38%, while the share of those dissatisfied has risen to 59%, up by one percentage point.