Donald Trump Jr. accused President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of being unwilling to end the war and claimed that Ukraine is “more corrupt than Russia.” When Sky News asked him whether he believed the U.S. president would walk away from supporting Kyiv, he replied:
I think he may. What’s good about my father and what’s unique about my father is you don’t know what he’s going to do. He’s unpredictable.
Though he added that this is improbable.
Why Ukraine is objectively less corrupt than Russia, and how the Trump family influences U.S. politics related to Ukraine?
Corruption Narratives
Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. argued that Ukraine is “more corrupt” by pointing at expensive cars with Ukrainian license plates in Monaco. He stated that wealthy Ukrainians fled and “left the peasant class to fight.” He also claimed that Zelenskyy refuses to sign a peace agreement because he fears losing re-election.
Corruption existed in Ukraine long before independence. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukrainians inherited a state system built on informal networks and bribery. The difference is that Ukrainian society chose to fight this culture, most notably during the 2014 Revolution of Dignity. Since then, an independent anti-corruption infrastructure has been established, including NABU, SAPO and the High Anti-Corruption Court. High-profile investigations, media coverage, and arrests increasingly involve senior officials — an indicator of reform rather than decay.
According to the latest Corruption Perception Index by Transparency International, Ukraine ranks 105th. Russia, by comparison, ranks 154th. The numbers show Ukraine has serious problems, but Russia suffers from systemic, opaque corruption tied directly to authoritarian rule and war financing.
Publicizing corruption in Russia is also difficult and dangerous, so the lack of open cases does not mean less corruption — it means less accountability. Russian corruption works for better, reducing the amount of money, which could be used against Ukraine.
The Trump Family Factor
Donald Trump Jr. holds no official government role, yet he publicly shapes rhetoric. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has also entered discussions about the Russian-Ukrainian war. According to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, “Kushner just joined the process, so it was important for him to understand what kind of person our president is. In this sense, the meeting was quite successful,” claiming that Kushner made a positive impression on Vladimir Putin.
Russia may also have indirect financial leverage over U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. This is connected to World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency company co-founded by Witkoff’s sons Zach and Alex, along with Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Barron Trump. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Jack Reed called for an investigation into the possible sale of World Liberty Financial tokens to individuals linked to North Korea and Russia.
Trump relies on a small, loyal inner circle when making decisions. Increasingly, his family plays a visible role in shaping narratives around the Russian-Ukrainian war.
Conclusion
The accusations against Ukraine repeat and amplify Russian propaganda. Ukraine continues to address its corruption problems through legal reforms, independent institutions, and civil society pressure. Avoiding a peace agreement is not about elections, but about public will: most Ukrainians reject any “peace deal” that rewards aggression. A fragile agreement without justice or security guarantees would only lead to another wave of Russian attacks.
