Ukrainians are rapidly losing faith in U.S. President Donald Trump, with nearly 90% saying they don’t trust him, according to a new survey marking his first 100 days back in office.
The poll, carried out by Info Sapiens for the Kyiv-based New Europe Center (NEC), shows a dramatic shift in public opinion. Just a few months ago, before Trump’s inauguration, trust levels were almost evenly split: around 45% expressed confidence in him, while 47% didn’t. Now, only 7.4% of respondents view Trump favorably.
So what’s behind this nosedive in support? According to the NEC, the honeymoon ended once Ukrainians got a closer look at Trump’s foreign policy. Though he promised to end the war swiftly during his campaign, many in Ukraine now see his approach as suspiciously soft on Moscow. The think tank noted that Trump’s posture “often echoed the Kremlin’s narrative more than it did any firm commitment to international norms.”
Trump hasn’t helped his case. Rather than squarely blaming Russia for the war, he’s taken shots at both sides — and has directly accused President Volodymyr Zelensky of dragging the conflict on. During a tense Oval Office encounter in February, Trump reportedly scolded Zelensky for showing “no gratitude” for American support, while Vice President J.D. Vance warned that the Ukrainian leader was “rolling the dice with World War III.”
Adding fuel to the fire, Trump has refused to guarantee long-term security support for Ukraine. Instead, sources say his administration is pushing for a sweeping peace deal that could reshape Ukraine’s future — and not in the way many Ukrainians had hoped.
According to leaked details, the proposal includes U.S. recognition of Crimea as Russian territory, a de facto freeze of the conflict along current lines, and Western acceptance of Moscow’s control over parts of four Ukrainian regions that held controversial referendums to join Russia. The plan would also reportedly lock Ukraine out of NATO and gradually roll back sanctions against the Kremlin.
The deal may sound pragmatic in Washington, but it’s a bitter pill in Kyiv. For many Ukrainians, the message is clear: Trump wants to end the war — even if it means Ukraine has to give up land, NATO hopes, and sovereignty in the process.
Moscow, for its part, has welcomed the idea of a settlement, but insists it will only happen if Kyiv drops its NATO ambitions and surrenders all territorial claims — conditions Ukraine continues to reject.
In short, Trump’s push for a fast peace may have bought him applause at home, but in Ukraine, it’s landed like a lead balloon.
