Axios has released a devastating report full of quotes from Trump admin officials which strongly suggests the growing rift with Zelensky is only about to worsen. 

The Ukrainian leader is seen as having overstepped by the White House. A US administration official involved in peace negotiations with Russia bluntly told the publication that "Zelensky is an actor who committed a common mistake of theater kids: He started to think he's the character he plays on TV." 

"Yes, he has been brave and stood up to Russia. But he would be six feet under if it wasn't for the millions we spent, and he needs to exit stage right with all the drama," the unidentified official said. This strongly suggests that Trump is pursuing a full political transition in Ukraine at this point.

Another official, also involved in negotiations described that "We created a monster with Zelensky," and that "these Trump-deranged Europeans who won't send troops are giving him terrible advice."

Speaking of which, one Saturday headline has revealed the European Union is still seeking ways to seize part of Russa's frozen $280 billion in assets held abroad. So while Washington under Trump is trying to strike peace and compromise, the Europeans look content to try and sabotage what they already see as a 'bad deal' to end the war.

Yet another US official was quoted in Axios as reviewing that "In the course of a week, Zelensky rebuffed President Trump's treasury secretary, his secretary of state and his vice president, all before moving on to personally insulting President Trump in the press."

The unnamed official followed with, "What did Zelensky think was going to happen?"

Meanwhile a mineral deal is said to be close, with some Friday night headlines claiming a final deal was 'hours' away - but Zelensky's office has said it's still mulling over the first draft. "President Trump is obviously very frustrated right now with President Zelensky," National Security Advisor Mike Waltz underscored in Thursday comments.

The same Axios report has summarized what it calls Zelensky's five moves that set off Trump in the following...

Six administration officials tell Axios that during the past nine days there were five incidents that angered Trump, Vice President Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Waltz. Taken together, one administration official said, Zelensky "showed how not to do the 'Art of the Deal' " when it came to courting Trump's support:

• Feb. 12: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met Zelensky in Kyiv to offer a proposal that would give the U.S. access to Ukrainian mineral rights in return for de facto U.S. protection. Trump later told reporters Zelensky was "rude" and delayed his meeting with Bessent because he slept in.
• Feb. 14: At the Munich Security Conference, Vance and Rubio met Zelensky to get his approval for the mineral rights deal. But, the officials said, Zelensky surprised the Americans by saying he didn't have the authority to unilaterally approve it without parliament.
• Feb. 15: Zelensky publicly rejected the offer at the conference. White House sources noted that his remarks to reporters — that the deal was "not in the interests of a sovereign Ukraine" — were markedly different from more positive-sounding comments he'd made on X the day before.
• Feb. 18: As Rubio, Waltz and presidential envoy Steve Witkoff sat down with Russian negotiators in Saudi Arabia to talk peace, Zelensky criticized the meeting for occurring without Ukraine at the table. An angry Trump then lashed out at Zelensky at a Mar-a-Lago press conference, falsely suggesting Zelensky had started the war with Russia and had an approval rating of only 4%.
• Feb. 19: Zelensky fired back, saying the U.S. president "lives in a disinformation space." Trump then ratcheted up the pressure by posting on Truth Social that Zelensky, a former actor, was a "modestly successful comedian" who has become a "dictator without elections." Trump has refused to criticize Putin as a dictator.

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The Washington Post is also asking on Saturday: Can Zelensky salvage his relationship with Trump and save Ukraine? This after Trump accused Zelensky of being a 'dictator' this week, given his refusal to hold new elections, citing martial law - and after banning multiple political parties seen as too 'pro-Russian'...

Given this week's anti-Zelensky rhetoric coming out of the US administration, the European allies are worried Trump will 'give away more' amid ongoing strong diplomatic engagement with Moscow (after already declaring that Ukraine won't become a NATO member). Of course, Kiev is fearful of this too, which is why Zelensky's advisors are imploring him to stop the rhetorical tit-for-tat and be silent on answering every 'provocation' come from the White House. Next week will be interesting to see where all of this goes.