The recent diplomatic maneuvering by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has centered on a tale of two presidents: himself, a leader fighting a brutal war, and US President Donald Trump, a leader who has just successfully brokered peace. Zelensky is now looking to Trump for the blueprint.
By hailing Trump’s “success” with the Gaza peace plan, Zelensky is effectively endorsing the American president’s methods and results. He is positioning the US approach not as one of many possible paths, but as the proven path to ending a modern conflict.
“It is important that President Trump succeeded in implementing the necessary steps,” Zelensky said, indicating a focus on the specific actions and strategies employed. He followed this by stating, “the right actions by the United States can also help” in Ukraine, suggesting he wants to see that same blueprint applied.
This is a significant alignment. It signals that Kyiv is not only open to, but is actively soliciting, a US-designed and US-led peace process. Zelensky’s claim to have a “corresponding vision” suggests he has already studied the blueprint and adapted it to his own country’s context.
This focus on the American model is a clear signal to the world. It tells allies that there is a specific, successful plan to rally around, and it tells Russia that Ukraine is seeking to bring the full weight of America’s proven diplomatic power to bear on the conflict.