The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has stated that Donald Trump’s public display of friendly relations with Vladimir Putin weakens American pressure on Russia and gives the Kremlin a sense of impunity. According to the Ukrainian leader, Washington’s failure to strongly condemn Russian aggression allows Moscow to continue the war without fear of serious consequences. Zelenskyy made these remarks in an interview with the British newspaper The Sun, published at the end of October.
- Zelenskyy stated that the US was not exerting sufficient pressure on Russia.
- In his view, Trump’s positive signals are encouraging Putin.
- The President called on Washington to condemn Russian aggression more strongly.
- Ukraine is opposed to any easing of sanctions against Moscow.
- Kyiv insists on negotiations without lengthy diplomatic delays.
Zelenskyy explained why Putin does not feel pressure from the US
According to the President of Ukraine, Washington is not making it sufficiently clear to the Russian leadership that continuing the war will have serious consequences for Moscow.
Zelensky considers that positive public statements Trump on relations with Putin may be perceived by the Kremlin as evidence of a lack of real pressure.
«We need more support. There is no pressure being put on Russia. The lack of strong signals from the US means to Putin that everything is fine,» said the Ukrainian president.
He also drew attention to Washington’s insufficiently firm response to Russian attacks against Ukraine.
«We are not hearing any condemnation of the aggression. We need that,» Zelenskyy emphasised.
In his view, the US remains a key partner for Ukraine and has sufficient political and economic levers to influence Moscow’s position.
At the same time, the Ukrainian president is not calling on Washington to abandon its role as a mediator in peace talks. He insists that the American side must take into account who started the war and who is continuing the hostilities.
Kyiv criticises Trump’s rapprochement with the Kremlin
In recent weeks, relations between Ukraine and the US have become strained against the backdrop of the US administration’s decisions regarding Russia. In particular, Washington has eased some of the restrictions on trade in Russian fuel, citing the need to stabilise energy markets.
Zelensky criticised such measures, emphasising that additional revenue from energy exports could bolster Russia’s ability to finance the war.
Tensions also rose following Trump’s criticism of Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries.
The US President linked such attacks to rising fuel prices. The Ukrainian side, however, emphasises that the strikes on Russian energy infrastructure are a response to the constant shelling of Ukrainian energy facilities.
Zelenskyy had previously stated that Washington has the ability to impose further sanctions on Moscow and step up the diplomatic pressure needed to bring the fighting to an end.
Zelenskyy criticised the US approach to the peace talks
In an interview with *The Sun*, the president also expressed his dissatisfaction with the delays in organising talks to end the war. According to him, the American side had invited the Ukrainian delegation to a meeting in Brussels, but subsequently postponed it due to the need to focus on current events in the Middle East.
Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine is grateful to the US for its willingness to organise trilateral talks, but that the constant delays are slowing down the diplomatic process. He emphasised that achieving a ceasefire requires regular meetings, the work of technical groups and concrete decisions.
That said, Kyiv remains open to negotiations, particularly on complex and sensitive issues. However, the Ukrainian authorities are not prepared to end the war at any cost.
According to preliminary reports, the next round of US-mediated talks may take place in Abu Dhabi following the US mid-term elections on 3 November.
Why is Zelenskyy calling on Washington to change its stance?
The Ukrainian President is convinced that Russia is using diplomatic lulls to continue its military operations and attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure. He emphasised that Ukrainians have a better understanding of the Kremlin’s political logic thanks to their own historical experience of living in the Soviet Union.
According to Zelenskyy, Putin continues to view Ukraine as a territory that Russia must control, and has not abandoned his intention to destroy its independence. That is precisely why the Ukrainian side insists that diplomatic contacts with Moscow must be accompanied by real levers of influence.
Zelenskyy also called on Western partners to condemn Russian aggression more strongly and not to back down sanctions pressure.
At the same time, the President emphasised that Ukraine is keen to maintain its partnership with the United States and does not wish to exacerbate differences with Donald Trump’s administration.
