The trouble was a long time coming. More than a year ago, after the inauguration of President Trump, the United States stopped being the kind of partner it used to be for Ukraine in the war against Russia. But now, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine seems to be stepping back from that relationship as well, distancing his country from what was once its biggest ally.
Call it a trial separation, largely set in motion by the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. American-backed peace talks to end the fighting in Ukraine have been halted since late February, when the first bombs fell on Tehran. With the negotiations now on life support, Mr. Zelensky has publicly criticized the United States in ways that would have been unthinkable last year, when Ukraine was waging a delicate fight against the Trump administration’s push for a quick peace that favored Russia.
