Ukraine–United States relations

Ukraine–United States relations are the bilateral relations between Ukraine and the United States since January 3, 1992. The United States recognized the independence of Ukraine on December 25, 1991 and upgraded its consulate in the capital, Kyiv, to embassy status on January 21, 1992. In 2002, relations between the United States and Ukraine deteriorated after one of the recordings made during the Cassette Scandal revealed an alleged transfer of a sophisticated Ukrainian defense system to Saddam Hussein's Iraq. In 2009, the United States announced support for Ukraine's bid to join NATO. According to documents uncovered during the United States diplomatic cables leak in 2010, American diplomats consistently defended Ukrainian sovereignty in meetings with other diplomats. Following the 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea, the United States began to supply military aid to Ukraine and became one of the largest defense partners of the country. This increased after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with the US massively increasing its supply of military aid and remaining one of the most important military backers of Ukraine, with US President Joe Biden heavily condemning the invasion and pledging support to Ukraine. A February 2023 Gallup poll found that the majority of Americans had a favorable view of Ukraine but the majority of Republicans and Democrats believed the Russian invasion of Ukraine was a critical threat to US vital interests. In December 2022, during a surprise visit to Washington D ., Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave a speech to a joint session of Congress. He thanked Congress and the American people for the support and stated the resolve for victory in the war. In early 2025, relations significantly worsened during Donald Trump's second presidency, amid calls for peace under his America First policy, though Trump has publicly cooperated with Zelenskyy, although many European leaders have repeatedly called his plan "Pro-Russian"and "Russian Wrote". In February 2025, Trump accused Ukraine of starting the war with Russia, and a meeting that month between Trump and Zelenskyy intending to finalize a minerals deal ended in public fallout and a shouting match between the leaders before the press. In March 2025, in a development attributed by journalists to disagreements during the meeting, the Trump administration briefly cut off all military aid and intelligence sharing to Ukraine. The military aid resumed days later. Ukrainians have generally viewed the US positively, with 80% expressing a favorable view in 2002, and 60% in 2011. According to the 2012 US Global Leadership Report, 33% of Ukrainians approved of US leadership, with 26% disapproving and 41% uncertain. In terms of international cooperation, the US is an observer state of the BSCE which Ukraine is a member of, and both countries are also observer states in the CBSS.