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President Trump sounds like he's changing U.S. foreign policy toward Ukraine, which the United States has supported up to now in its defense against Russia's invasion. In attacks on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump has called him a dictator for not holding elections during wartime, and Trump falsely blames Zelenskyy for Russia's attack on Ukraine, which is Russia's version of events. These two presidents have a history that dates back to 2019 when Trump in his first term was looking for dirt on a political rival. Here's NPR White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez.
FRANCO ORDOÑEZ, BYLINE: Six years ago, President Trump was on a call with a then relatively new Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, when Trump asked for a favor. That request to investigate then former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, would go on to reshape Trump's presidency.
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PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well, I made a perfect - not a good call, perfect call.
ORDOÑEZ: At the time, Zelenskyy tried his best to stay out of the political mess.
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PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY: I'm sorry, but I don't want to be involved to democratic, open, liberty elections, elections of USA.
ORDOÑEZ: He couldn't escape it entirely, though. And Trump was eventually impeached by the House for soliciting interference in the 2020 election but then acquitted by the Senate.
ANDREA KENDALL-TAYLOR: President Trump carries a lot of baggage and very negative baggage in terms of his views of President Zelenskyy.
ORDOÑEZ: That's Andrea Kendall-Taylor, a senior fellow at the Center for New American Security. She says Trump never had much respect for Zelenskyy, but also never got over Zelenskyy's role in the scandal.
KENDALL-TAYLOR: That definitely colors the lens through which he is approaching these negotiations with Russia and his sidelining of Zelenskyy in the process.
ORDOÑEZ: It's a complex relationship, though. Charles Kupchan, who served as a senior adviser on European affairs in the Obama White House, says like many relationships Trump has with foreign leaders, it can take many forms.
CHARLES KUPCHAN: I think the relationship between Trump and Zelenskyy, like the relationship between Trump and all other leaders, blows hot and cold.
ORDOÑEZ: On the campaign trail, for example, Trump mocked Zelenskyy for being a great salesman, accused him of trying to help Democrats and, quote, making little "nasty aspersions" toward him. Yet, when they met in person, Trump said it was an honor to meet with Zelenskyy. The fact is, Kupchan says, both leaders are very transactional.
KUPCHAN: But the bottom line is that Trump needs Zelenskyy because he can't end the war without Zelenskyy's help. And Zelenskyy needs Trump because he knows that if Ukraine is to emerge from this war as a sovereign, secure democracy, the United States has to be there to help them.
ORDOÑEZ: Zelenskyy has repeatedly tried flattery to win Trump over. But Zelenskyy's been pushing back more recently after being excluded from negotiations between the U.S. and Russia over ending the war.
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ZELENSKYY: (Speaking Ukrainian).
ORDOÑEZ: Zelenskyy told reporters that as much as he respects Trump, that the U.S. president is amplifying Russian disinformation, including blaming Zelenskyy for Russia's invasion.
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TRUMP: Today I heard, oh, well, we weren't invited. Well, you've been there for three years. You should've ended it three years. You should've never started it. You could've made a deal.
ORDOÑEZ: And while he claims to like Zelenskyy on a personal level, Trump continues to echo Putin's worldview, says Heather Conley, who was the top U.S. diplomat to Central Europe under George W. Bush.
HEATHER CONLEY: The president is really delivering Russian talking points about the illegitimacy of President Zelenskyy.
ORDOÑEZ: And she says by siding with the aggressor, Russia, Trump also risks making the aggressor stronger.
Franco Ordoñez, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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