Updated

Relations between Kyiv and Washington showed signs of strain this week after US envoy Steve Witkoff praised Vladimir Putin as "a humanitarian," prompting Zelensky to quip in an ABC News interview that he is "maybe not such a big humanitarian" himself, hours before Russia struck Kyiv with ballistic missiles and cluster munitions. Zelensky separately accused Russia of waging a hybrid war against Europe through drone incursions meant to undermine support for Ukraine. The Kyiv Independent argued that Trump's pressure on Kyiv has backfired, strengthening domestic support for Zelensky while eroding Ukrainian trust in the United States, with commentators warning that Moscow is exploiting American eagerness for a deal to buy time and divide Western allies.