US President Donald Trump has grown more favorable toward Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and expressed fresh optimism about Kyiv's resilience in its war with Moscow, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday, citing US officials.
The report said Trump initially believed Russia's military would overpower Ukraine, but the US president now views Russian President Vladimir Putin "in a less favorable light."
Trump has told Putin that he wants the war to end, citing the high number of casualties on both sides.
Trump has come to admire Ukraine's drone industry, particularly its ability to defend against the same type of drones faced by the US in its war with Iran, the report said.
One official said Trump likes winners and, in the US president's view, Zelenskyy is increasingly looking like one.
"We've actually developed a good relationship. It's hard to believe, right?" Trump said during a July meeting with Zelenskyy in Türkiye on the sidelines of a NATO summit.
Zelenskyy's standing with Trump has shifted dramatically. Last year, Trump called him a dictator, criticized his leadership, clashed with him in the Oval Office and temporarily halted US military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
The change comes ahead of their first meeting in Washington since October. Zelenskyy, who is in the US capital to attend Sen. Lindsey Graham's funeral, is scheduled to meet Trump at the White House on Tuesday.
Whether Trump's warmer view will last remains uncertain, the report said. Those close to him said his opinions can change quickly and that Putin has previously influenced both Trump and some of his advisers.
At the NATO summit in Ankara earlier this month, Trump said the US would grant Ukraine a license to produce Patriot missile interceptors and expressed interest in cooperating on drone production.
Ukraine has become a global leader in military drones, increasing production from about 5,000 annually in 2022 to millions in 2026.
The report said Trump has been impressed by Ukraine's drone capabilities, particularly its defense against Iranian-made Shahed drones, which resemble threats faced by the US and its allies in the Middle East.
