Dealing with Ukraine 'More Difficult' Than Russia: Trump

This comment came hours after Trump revealed that he was "strongly considering" imposing large-scale sanctions and tariffs on Russia until a ceasefire with Ukraine was reached. Meanwhile, the US has temporarily suspended Ukraine’s access to some satellite imagery, according to space technology company Maxar, after Trump had already paused military aid to the country.

The latest developments follow a tense exchange between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky one week ago, where Trump publicly berated Zelensky for being "disrespectful" to the US. This was followed by Trump halting all US military aid and intelligence-sharing with Kyiv. Shortly after, Russia launched a major missile and drone attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

Trump’s proposed sanctions on Russia appear to be a response to this attack. He said he was considering new tariffs because "Russia is absolutely 'pounding' Ukraine on the battlefield." However, within hours, Trump remarked that Russian President Vladimir Putin was simply acting as "anyone else would" in his position. He also expressed his belief that Putin wants to end the war, while questioning Ukraine’s willingness to do so.

"I want to know they [Ukraine] want to settle, and I don’t know they want to settle," Trump explained.

Trump’s direct diplomacy with Putin has been controversial, especially since NATO allies have avoided engaging with Moscow following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Despite the tensions with Zelensky, Trump’s foreign policy team has adopted a more conciliatory tone toward Ukraine, especially after cutting off military and intelligence support.

The US appears to want Zelensky to agree to a deal that would grant them significant access to Ukrainian minerals and negotiate a quick truce with Moscow. However, Zelensky has insisted on securing firm security guarantees for Ukraine before agreeing to any terms. Trump suggested on Friday that security guarantees could be discussed later, calling that part of the deal "the easy part."

Maxar, a US-based space technology company, confirmed that the US had temporarily suspended Ukrainian access to high-quality imagery from US satellites, which are vital for military intelligence. This decision follows a directive from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, part of the US Department of Defense.

In the coming week, senior US officials will travel to Saudi Arabia to meet with Zelensky’s team amid growing pressure for him to accept Trump’s terms. Zelensky, on Friday, reiterated his desire for peace, stating that his country is "ready for peace as soon as possible" and has proposed "concrete steps" to achieve it.

Zelensky has expressed regret for the public clash with Trump and is working to repair relations with the US. On Thursday, US special envoy Steve Witkoff revealed that Trump had received a letter from Zelensky containing an "apology" and a "sense of gratitude."

Meanwhile, fighting in Ukraine continued on Friday, with local authorities reporting that five people were killed by Russian troops in the Donetsk region. European leaders are also moving forward with plans for significant military expenditure to aid Ukraine, with around 20 countries expressing interest in joining a "coalition of the willing" to support the country.