October 23, 2026
Midterm Push or Meaningful Shift? Trump’s Approach to Russia
On October 9, U.S. President Donald Trump announced he had reached a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to produce to purchase Russian diesel ahead of next month’s midterm elections—the first in a series of overtures to Moscow. Trump also waived congressional sanctions on Russia and signaled willingness to meet with Putin and Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping to discuss a peace deal on Ukraine without European involvement.
The president’s deal with Putin coincides with striking animosity towards Kyiv. Trump has intensified his criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, claiming last week that Ukraine “needs a new president.” In response, Zelenskyy argued that Trump is attempting to force Ukraine’s surrender, citing lapses in U.S. information sharing and a temporary restriction on Starshield access. U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff met with Zelenskyy in Oslo before flying to St. Petersburg on Wednesday, where he called Putin a humanitarian after his release of an American prisoner.
Yet, despite this flurry of diplomacy, there has been little progress toward peace. After Witkoff’s meeting, Russia launched an overnight bombardment of Ukraine. This escalation raises concerns, particularly from European and NATO allies, about how the United States will respond and conduct itself moving forward. To discuss the Trump administration’s approach to Russia and Ukraine, we are delighted to welcome Rebeccah Heinrichs and Peter Rough to Brussels Sprouts.
Rebeccah Heinrichs is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and the director of its Keystone Defense Initiative.
Peter Rough is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and the director of its Center of Europe and Eurasia.
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