World leaders have been rushing to build strong relations with Donald Trump especially after his reelection and Ukraine is arguably one of the most eager countries to win his favor.

In his New Year’s address at the beginning of 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that he has no doubt that the new American president is willing and capable of achieving peace and ending Putin’s aggression reflecting his efforts to win Trump’s support.

Just days later, Zelensky told an American podcaster that Trump was a much stronger candidate than Kamala Harris adding that Trump had shown his intellectual and physical strength.

Zelensky is not alone in this attempt to flatter Trump. In November, a member of Zelensky’s party nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize according to a letter seen by the Kyiv Independent.

Such strategies are nothing new for foreign governments. For instance, China took Trump to the Forbidden City and the UK enlisted the royal family during his previous term in the White House.

This is not entirely new for Ukraine either. As noted in a 2019 CNN opinion article, Zelensky praised Trump as a great teacher during the notorious phone call where the then-president urged Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter.

But the stakes are much higher now for Ukraine. Kyiv enters 2025 on the defensive in its war with Russia, with Ukrainian forces struggling to hold back Russian advances in the east, where they are vastly outnumbered. The possibility of recapturing occupied Russian territory seems increasingly slim.

Under outgoing President Biden, the U.S. became the largest provider of military assistance to Ukraine, and Kyiv is well aware that it needs to stay on Trump’s side to secure future support.

Peace Through Strength Zelensky does not have the luxury of being hostile towards Trump, said Joanna, a policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations to CNN. He must at least try to get him on Ukraine’s side to secure the best possible outcome for Ukraine which depends enormously on American support.

Trump has repeatedly emphasized the need to end Russia’s war in Ukraine suggesting that negotiations might be on the horizon. His proposed peace plan contains elements that would likely please the Kremlin.

Zelensky has expressed his desire to work directly with the new president and appears more willing to make battlefield concessions possibly out of necessity.

While Ukraine would still want to reclaim all the land it lost, after three years of exhausting war, recapturing all territory now seems out of reach. Ukrainians are slowly coming to accept this fact, said an expert.

Zelensky has frequently described Trump as strong, an apparent effort to appeal to a president-elect who has made through strength a rallying cry. “Trump could be crucial. I think this is the most important thing for us. His qualities are like that. He can be decisive in this war. He can stop Putin Zelensky told United News Ukraine’s wartime TV network earlier this month.

Some experts believe Zelensky’s praise of Trump is genuine. I think he genuinely believes that Trump can make bold moves and this is where this hope comes from, and not only in Zelensky’s mind but in Ukraine more broadly said a deputy director at Chatham House a London-based think tank.

Aligning Interests Another factor is that, unlike previous U.S. administrations, Trump fundamentally believes he can have good relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He has long expressed admiration for Putin while other world leaders have shunned him, and has pledged to meet with him quickly after taking office.

For his part Putin, who was condemned as a butcher by Biden, seems open to rebuilding ties with Trump. Following Trump’s election victory, Putin congratulated him, calling him a courageous man. During his year-end news conference in December, Putin said he was ready to meet with Trump.

Even if Russia comes to the negotiating table there’s reason to be cautious. As CNN’s chief international security correspondent Nick Paton Walsh notes, Moscow’s past peace pledges in Ukraine have often been deceptive, meaning any potential ceasefire might be fragile.

There is also speculation that the Ukrainian government is positioning its defeat by Moscow as a way to enhance America's global power projection.

This is the game but whether Trump will view this as a viable strategy is another question.

Zelensky has also proposed other benefits. In October of the previous year, he suggested swapping some U.S. troops stationed in Europe with Ukrainian forces once the war with Russia is over. He argued that Ukraine’s wartime experience could be used to strengthen NATO and ensure security in Europe, an idea that might appeal to a U.S. leader who has called on Europe to contribute more to defense.

Zelensky has also appealed to Trump’s business mindset. His Victory Plan unveiled in October includes a major deal with the U.S. over critical minerals a resource Ukraine has in abundance.

According to a report in the New York Times the signing of this minerals deal was delayed twice possibly to allow Trump to take credit for it when he takes office.

It’s possible that Ukraine is making a lucrative offer to the U.S. in economic terms The Victory Plan includes critical minerals and investment opportunities, presenting Ukraine as a profitable partner for America.

However while flattery may be a common tactic Trump’s unpredictability means there are no guarantees it will succeed.

Trump’s reception by British monarch Queen Elizabeth II in 2019 didn’t prevent him from attacking London Mayor Sadiq Khan as a stone cold loser” and labeling then-Prime Minister Theresa May as foolish.

Still, there is evidence that Zelensky’s approach may be paying off. In July 2024, Trump acknowledged that it would take longer than 24 hours to end the conflict, a sign of his shifting attitude.

Zelensky faced a choice: flatter Trump or risk capitulating to Putin. Flattery may be a small price to pay for a better outcome.