Trump Criticizes Zelensky, Praises Putin Ahead of Ukraine Communications Dispute

President Donald Trump told Newsmax that he considers Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky "not a good guy for us to deal with" and said he finds Zelensky "more difficult to deal with than Putin." Trump added that both leaders dislike each other and that the conflict should end soon.

The remarks came as reports emerged that the White House had directed a reduction in Ukrainian access to SpaceX’s Starshield satellite service, which provides frontline communications. Ukrainian officials said the limitation affected early-warning systems and other military-grade intelligence feeds.

Zelensky responded by accusing Trump of favoring Putin, stating, "He speaks about it openly and loudly that he loves such people and he respects such people. Because for him people who can be leaders 20 years, 30 years, 40 years, it means they can be very strong."

The White House has not confirmed which official issued the order, and the administration denied that it threatened to cut off military intelligence. A spokesperson for SpaceX’s founder Elon Musk said the network is "owned and controlled by the U.S. government" and that any usage limits are set by the U.S. military and the president.

The comments occur amid ongoing hostilities in Ukraine, where Russian forces have continued attacks on civilian infrastructure, resulting in casualties and power outages. The dispute over communications access adds tension to the already strained U.S.–Ukraine relationship.