Did ‘Agent Melania’ change Donald Trump’s mind on Ukraine? – DW – 07/16/2025

Ukraine has, seemingly, a surprise advocate in the White House: first lady Melania Trump.

A flurry of laudatory posts shared across Ukrainian social media this week came after US President Donald Trump revealed that his wife had taken to pointing out the contradictions in his negotiations with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, toward a deal to end the war in Ukraine.

“I speak to him a lot about getting this thing done,” Trump said on Monday.

“And I always hang up and say: ‘Well, that was a nice phone call,'” Trump said. “And then missiles are launched into Kyiv or some other city. After that happens three or four times, you say: ‘The talk doesn’t mean anything.'”

On Monday, Trump set a 50-day deadline for Putin to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine or risk substantial economic sanctions. The deadline, like others set by the president, appears flexible. On Tuesday he said that, though he didn’t think 50 days was a long time, “it could be sooner than that.”

Trump stood with her husband as he surveyed the US military might on his birthdayImage: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP/dpa/picture alliance

‘Agent Melania Trumpenko’

The president revealed the role of his wife in highlighting the apparent hypocrisy in Putin’s dealings with the White House.

“I go home, I tell the first lady: ‘I spoke with Vladimir today. We had a wonderful conversation,'” Trump said. “She said: ‘Oh really? Another city was just hit.'”

On platforms such as X and Telegram, Ukrainian social media users shared posts and memes welcoming Melania Trump’s apparent role.

“So all this time Melania was for us?” the prominent blogger Ihor Lachenkov posted.

“Melania for President of the United States 🙈” a Telegram account with 1.5 million followers wrote.

Many have dubbed her “Agent Melania Trumpenko” and modified photos of the first lady to attach Ukrainian iconography to her clothing.

Others have used memes to poke fun at the suggestion that the first lady was the crucial voice that changed the US position on Ukraine.

One such post shared by the national TV news program TSN shows a cartoon animal, a cinema detective and a picture of Melania Trump in a wide-brimmed hat at the 2025 inauguration with the text “Secret Agents: In cartoons, In movies, in real life.”

Another shows Godzilla marked as former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, and King Kong marked as prime ministerial candidate Yulia Svyrydenko brawling, saying “A Woman Will Save Ukraine,” only for the Doge dog to attack both, saying: “It will be Melania Trump.”

First lady’s influence

Melania Trump is Slovenian and grew up in the former Yugoslavia. Slovenia has provided humanitarian, economic and military support to Ukraine.

She has voiced her support for Ukraine previously, notably in a 2022 social media post on the platform X (formerly Twitter) calling on people to support the International Committee of the Red Cross’s humanitarian efforts after Russia began its full-scale invasion.

Many Ukrainian users have noted that, because of her upbringing in Yugoslavia, which had a fraught relationship with Russia, she is the best-placed member of Trump’s circle when it comes to understanding the threat posed by Vladimir Putin.

US first ladies have often exercised influence within the White House. Melania Trump’s predecessors have involved themselves with social programs and tried to help achieve policy outcomes for their husbands.

In an interview with Ukrainian television Kanal 24, former state security service officer Ivan Stupak said he hoped that Melania Trump’s sympathies for his country were having an effect on US foreign policy.

“We’ve seen in the histories of different countries that first ladies … it’s not a 100% rule, but, in many cases, they don’t just exist in the background, as a formality,” Stupak said.

“I want to believe that she does have some influence,” Stupak said, “that she can say something, and Trump will listen to her.”

Ukrainian analyst: Trump disiilusioned with Russia

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Arms exports resume

While Melania Trump may be providing counsel to her husband on military matters, he continues to take his own advice when it comes to business.

Trump has typically run a transactional presidency, ensuring that he — and by extension the United States — can claim a victory or benefit in any negotiations.

Though his predecessor Joe Biden willingly provided military aid to Ukraine, Trump has been quick to turn off the tap in a tumultuous first six months in office. While he had a catastrophic falling out with Ukraine’s president Volodymir Zelenskyy earlier in the year, the lack of response from Putin has seen Trump seemingly warm to the Ukrainian cause in recent weeks.

But only on the condition that supplies are paid for.

Most recently, Trump confirmed that the United States will supply Patriot missile batteries to Ukraine, with European partners to bear the cost of supply.

Anna Chaika contributed to this story.