Zelenskyy's willingness to sign a temporary ceasefire with Russia suggests he's learned to play Trump's game

The situation in Ukraine is constantly changing, experiencing a sharp downturn after an unpleasant meeting at the White House, but now there's a turnaround. The landscape of global politics is becoming increasingly volatile, with new developments potentially emerging every day.

Two weeks ago, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy had a tense meeting with U.S. President Trump, which led to a low point for Ukraine's position. During the meeting, Zelenskyy confronted Trump head-on, even interrupting his speech and questioning many of his views. Subsequently, he had a dispute with Vice President JD Vance, further exacerbating the situation. Zelenskyy's confrontation with Trump and Vance ultimately proved detrimental to the Ukrainian leader.

Zelenskyy should have learned from the experience of French President Macron's previous meetings with Trump. Macron didn't blindly comply; he occasionally corrected some of Trump's statements, but he did so with humor and charm. While Zelenskyy's motivation to defend national interests and survival is unquestionable, he adopted the wrong strategy and paid a heavy price – the U.S. immediately reduced military aid to Ukraine and subsequently suspended the provision of crucial military intelligence, undoubtedly giving Russia an advantage on the battlefield.

However, the situation has changed. Zelenskyy seems to have learned his lesson and realized how to deal with the Trump administration. He has also engaged with one of the more traditional members of Trump's cabinet, Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rubio, along with National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, met with senior Ukrainian officials in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy himself avoided the meeting and instead met with the Saudi Crown Prince in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, hours earlier. Clearly, Zelenskyy realized that Trump tends to favor Russian President Putin in discussions about the war, so he decided to change his strategy.

Regardless of what happened behind the scenes, Zelenskyy has regained the initiative. After the meeting, Rubio announced that Ukraine had agreed to a ceasefire with Russia, an immediate 30-day cessation of hostilities to allow for the agreement of specific details. The U.S. has also resumed military aid and intelligence support to Ukraine. This is a huge shift. Previously, Zelenskyy had insisted that a ceasefire was not a realistic option because Russia had never abided by ceasefire agreements and therefore could not be trusted. As Rubio later said, "Now the ball is in their court." He stated that he would submit the proposal to Russia, adding, "If they refuse, then we will know what the obstacle to peace is."

Now Russia is under pressure. Will Russia yield? If Russia does not want to give up its advantage on the battlefield, will it succumb to pressure from Washington? Is Trump truly a "Russian whisperer"? Amidst the chaos of the Trump administration, has the new president stumbled upon – or indeed planned – a master strategy: If Russia agrees to a permanent ceasefire, Trump will end the war in Ukraine. If Russia agrees and then reneges, Trump's reputation will be damaged, and Zelenskyy will be proven right. It's a high-stakes geopolitical game, and Trump is at the center of the storm.