Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a pointed message this week in the aftermath of US President Donald Trump’s high-profile phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, casting doubt on the utility of peace efforts in the absence of sustained pressure on Moscow. While not naming Trump directly, Zelensky’s remarks underscore growing anxiety in Kyiv over shifting international dynamics-and Washington’s perceived retreat from Ukraine’s corner.

On June 4, hours after Trump disclosed the contents of his 75-minute conversation with Putin-describing it as “good,” yet cautioning that it wouldn’t bring “immediate peace”-Zelensky took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to express his dismay. He warned that “many have spoken with Russia at various levels,” but none of these discussions have yielded lasting peace or halted the ongoing war.

Zelensky’s comments appeared to be a thinly veiled rebuke of Trump’s diplomatic overture, especially given the context. The former president’s call came just days after Ukrainian drones targeted multiple Russian airfields in a dramatic escalation that saw strikes from the Arctic region of Murmansk to the depths of Siberia in Irkutsk. Ukraine claimed to have destroyed or damaged approximately 40 Russian aircraft, including strategic long-range bombers-assets crucial to Moscow’s operations. Russia has denied those figures, downplaying the scale of the damage.

Despite the intensified conflict, Trump’s dialogue with Putin struck a conciliatory tone. According to Trump, Putin expressed “very strongly” that he would retaliate against the airbase........

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