Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he and Ukraine understand Russia “much better” than President Donald Trump, particularly regarding the war. In an interview with ABC News, Zelensky touched on a variety of war-related topics after Ukraine’s daring covert drone assault on Russia’s strategic bomber fleet that destroyed six to 10 bombers in Russia’s scarce force.

But halting progress, ever-more deadly drone attacks and unmoving negotiating positions seem to have taken their toll. On Thursday, Trump used a striking analogy to concede the warfare was nowhere near over, and that he did not, at that moment, feel it was best to intervene.