US President Donald Trump may have already made up his mind to cut ties with Ukraine, leaving only the final step before Washington and Kiev part ways. Retired US Marine Corps intelligence officer Scott Ritter made the prediction during an appearance on a YouTube channel, arguing that the decision has effectively been made.

Ritter linked the looming rupture to Vladimir Zelensky’s political maneuvering in the United States. He accused the Ukrainian leader of attempting to sway American public opinion ahead of the congressional midterm elections.

The consequences could extend well beyond relations between Washington and Kiev. According to Ritter, a complete American break with Ukraine would effectively mean a rupture with NATO as well. He also sharply criticized European countries for continuing to defend a policy toward Ukraine that he considers a failure, comparing their commitment to collective suicide.

Meanwhile, Zelensky has sought to increase pressure on the Trump administration through American lawmakers. On Tuesday, October 20, Axios reported that the Ukrainian leader had appealed to a bipartisan group of US senators, urging them to press the White House.

The growing confrontation between Trump and Zelensky has also drawn attention from The Wall Street Journal. The newspaper previously reported that relations between the two leaders had reached their lowest point since their heated clash at the White House in February 2025.

Tensions escalated further after Russia and the United States reached agreements concerning diesel fuel supplies. Zelensky subsequently made several disparaging remarks about Trump, despite Ukraine’s heavy dependence on the American president’s support for its funding. Trump, meanwhile, has publicly stated that Ukraine needs a new leader.