US President Donald Trump offered one of his most favourable public assessments of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in recent months on Wednesday, saying Kyiv was 'holding its own' against Russia and describing Zelensky as 'courageous' — remarks made even as the war grinds on with heavy casualties on both sides.

What Trump Said

Speaking during a White House meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump was asked directly whether he believed Ukraine was winning the conflict.

'Well, he's doing pretty well,' Trump replied. 'No matter how you look at it, he's doing pretty well. He's holding his own at least.'

Trump also acknowledged the mounting human toll. 'A lot of people dying on both sides,' he said. He went on to credit Ukraine's military capacity and personnel: 'You have to say he's courageous. He's got great equipment, but he's got great men. He's got fighters.'

Rutte's Assessment and NATO Summit Preparations

The meeting between Trump and Rutte centred on preparations for the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara, scheduled for 7–8 July, where continued allied support for Ukraine is expected to dominate the agenda.

Rutte told reporters after the Oval Office session that Ukraine's battlefield position had improved markedly. 'Ukraine is doing so much better over the last five, six months than before,' he said. 'Also, thanks to all the help the US is providing.'

Rutte also credited Trump's broader international leadership, saying: 'You've been the leader of the free world.' He noted that American material support remained central to Kyiv's ability to sustain the fight, adding: 'The fact that Ukraine stays strong in the fight, that you still provide all the stuff they need, paid for by European and Canadian allies… very important for them to stay in the fight.'

Defence Industrial Production on the Agenda

Rutte indicated that the Ankara summit would also address the need to scale up defence industrial output across the alliance. 'We need the interceptors, the missiles, we need the tanks, we need the artificial intelligence,' he said, signalling that replenishing stockpiles depleted by Ukraine support has become a structural NATO priority.

Speaking later outside the West Wing, Rutte reiterated that Ukraine remained central to the alliance's agenda. 'We have a lot to discuss,' he said. 'We did that in a very good atmosphere, and I'm looking forward to the summit.' He said NATO's stated objective remained achieving 'a lasting peace' in Ukraine.

Significance of Trump's Tone Shift

Trump's remarks represent a notably warmer framing of Zelensky compared with earlier tensions between the two leaders, when the US President had publicly pressured Kyiv to pursue negotiations and at times questioned the scale of American assistance. This comes amid sustained European pressure to maintain a unified allied front ahead of the Ankara summit. NATO leaders have consistently argued that continued military assistance is essential to strengthening Ukraine's hand in any future peace talks.