Zelenesky returns to the White House. Trump returns to old rhetoric. Almost.
DW Phillips is a filmmaker, constitutional attorney, journalist and director of Ukraine Story. He is a contributor to The Kyiv Post and Executive Producer of Kyiv of Mine.
Operator Starsky joins DW for a chat.
I can’t stop thinking about the immortal words of Professor Henry Higgins.
”Ev’ry time we looked around
There he was, that hairy hound From Budapest.
Never leaving us alone, Never have I ever known
A ruder pest.” My Fair Lady
If you were tuning in to my broadcast yesterday on the podcast of the inimitable Operator Starsky, you may have noticed that about two-thirds into the show, news arrived that Trump had just gotten off the phone with the Dark Prince — and that the two had planned a get-together in the world of Viktor Orbán: Budapest.
My cautious words of tempered glee concerning the “Trump pivot” had barely settled into the Substack ecosystem when this news arrived.
Is that the end of Tomahawks for Ukraine?
Will his rhetoric about the Kremlin being a “paper tiger” be replaced with overtures of appreciation for Putin’s “peace” efforts?
Are we back at square one — a never-ending cycle of delays and broken promises to hold Russia to account?
The short answer is: not square one, but dangerously close.
Today’s meeting with President Zelensky at the Oval Office was revealing for how ambiguous and inconclusive it was — how reminiscent of the most recent meeting with the President, and how disconnected from President Trump’s recent statements about Russia and Ukraine.
Once again there were inappropriate and condescending comments about the clothing of the President of Ukraine, revealing the boorishness and bad manners of the White House.
Once again, Trump told the world he thought there would be a deal.
Again, he spoke of his confidence that Putin wanted peace. Again, he referenced “hatred” between Russia and Ukraine as the reason why there is no deal.
Clearly, President Trump was riding a wave of optimism after his recent victory in the Middle East.
A calm but resolute Zelensky offered a different perspective:
“I think that, yes, we understand that Putin is not ready — I think not ready. But I’m confident that with your help, we can stop this war, and we really need it.”
When asked his opinion on Putin and Zelensky as negotiators, Trump replied, “I think they are both doing a good job.”
As for Tomahawks, he kept the discussion on the table but appeared less interested in the consideration than even a week ago.
It is not difficult to figure out Putin’s strategy. Faced with a White House that describes him as a paper tiger and that is considering long-range missiles for Kyiv, Putin reached for the same items in the bag of tricks that have gained him much in 2025 — flattery, whispers of peace, and lies.
And once again, it worked.
— DW Phillips
Discovering KYIV with DW Phillips | Coffee & Chat
Friends, today I have a special guest: DW Phillips, author of amazing series called “Kyiv of Mine” @KyivOfMine already available on YouTube! Join us for coffee and relaxed conversation about the series, Ukraine, and its amazing capital – Kyiv city!