Trump Calls Zelensky ‘Tricky Guy’ but Says He ‘Likes’ Him

US President Donald Trump said he supports a negotiated settlement in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War, despite continued battlefield losses for Kyiv. Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied This handout photograph taken and released by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Service on December 28, 2025 shows US President Donald Trump (R) and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) shaking hands during their meeting for critical talks on ending the war with Russia at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Handout / UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE / AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google US President Donald Trump said he maintains a generally positive relationship with   Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview on Monday, May 4. Speaking to the pro-MAGA Salem News Channel , Trump described Zelensly as a “tricky guy” when the interviewer lauded the Ukrainian president’s offer of air-defense help to various Gulf states attacked by Iran.  Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . Trump rebutted by saying the US has “great drone stuff.” His sons have been investing in US drone production trying to play catch-up with Ukraine, according to the Wall Street Journal .  Trump also said that both Ukraine and Russia are suffering heavy losses in the war, adding that Kyiv continues to lose territory, but Ukrainians “sure can fight.” “We want to get a settlement,” Trump said, suggesting a negotiated end to the war remains his priority. At the same time, he said he “likes Zelensky” and has “always sort of gotten along with him,” despite what he described as a tense moment during a past meeting at the White House. Trump characterized that interaction as “a little aggressive” on Zelensky’s part but did not elaborate further. A separate debate over military aid to Ukraine has intensified in Washington in recent weeks. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers on Wednesday that the Pentagon had released $400 million in congressionally approved assistance after weeks of delay . Other Topics of Interest US Troop Withdrawal: Empty Threat or Grave Danger? Donald Trump has announced a reduction in the US’s military presence in Germany. The move followed criticism from Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, who accused the Defense Department of holding up funds authorized by Congress. In an April 28 Washington Post opinion piece , McConnell said the aid had been “collecting dust” despite bipartisan support and warned that backing Ukraine was a strategic investment in US security. Lawmakers from both parties questioned why the funding had not been disbursed earlier, particularly as the US faces rising military costs elsewhere, including operations in Iran, raising concerns about Washington’s ability to sustain support for Ukraine alongside other commitments. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization since 1995. Its international market reach of 97% outside of Ukraine makes it truly Ukraine’s Global – and most reliable – Voice.