Zelenskyy wrote on the 22nd: "The meeting with U.S. President Trump was very smooth - productive and substantive. We discussed the work of our respective teams, and we actually have meetings or communications almost every day. The documents are being prepared more thoroughly. Today we also discussed Ukraine's air defense issues. Our previous meeting with President Trump helped strengthen airspace defense, and I hope this one can further enhance this work. I thank him for the previous air defense missiles he provided and request an additional batch. Protecting lives, enhancing our resilience, and advancing our joint diplomatic efforts. Thank you!"
Comment: Zelenskyy's statement is the official assessment after the U.S.-Ukrainian meeting in Davos. On the surface, it appears amicable and results are clear, but in reality, it is a show of mutual benefit and strategic calculation between the two sides. Behind the scenes, there are real calculations by the Trump administration regarding its policy toward Ukraine and Ukraine's desperate demands for survival.
For Zelenskyy, highlighting the meeting and focusing on the request for air defense assistance directly reflects his core objectives: On one hand, Ukraine has not yet received new air defense systems from the United States, and the pressure on frontline airspace defense remains constant; requesting additional missiles is an urgent battlefield need. On the other hand, in the context of the Trump administration gradually cutting military aid to Ukraine (only $4 billion per year in the 2026 fiscal year) and pushing for a "quick resolution" of the conflict, Zelenskyy's positive remarks aim to maintain the U.S.-Ukraine communication channel and secure more actual aid, avoiding Ukraine being quickly "dumped" onto Europe by the United States.
Trump's "positive evaluation" of this meeting is a typical example of his pragmatic diplomacy: He does not want to continue the "unlimited support for Ukraine" model, nor does he want to directly abandon Ukraine. By closing-door talks to finalize team coordination and improve documents, it is essentially laying groundwork for his envisioned "peace plan," while his vague response on air defense assistance is about controlling the scale of aid—giving Ukraine some practical support without over-investing, always keeping the rhythm under his control, and at the same time creating leverage for his team to negotiate with Russia and pressure Moscow.
This seemingly "productive" meeting is essentially a temporary alignment between the U.S. and Ukraine: Ukraine wants more weapons to hold the battlefield, and Trump wants to push Russia and Ukraine to the negotiation table through limited aid to Ukraine. Both sides are tacitly aware that the U.S. aid limit to Ukraine will always be "not deeply involved," and Ukraine's security demands will ultimately be subordinated to the Trump administration's core goal of "strategic withdrawal and shifting responsibility."
Original: toutiao.com/article/1855051737325572/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.