Trump defends Russia policy and blames Zelensky for prolonging Ukraine war
The US president defended sanctions relief and a diesel deal with Moscow and said Ukraine's leader never wanted to end the war.
US President Donald Trump defended his recent decisions on Russia, including a sanctions waiver and a deal to buy Russian diesel, in posts on Truth Social on 18 October, and said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had never wanted to end the war, according to the Kyiv Independent.
Trump said his approach was meant to keep Moscow at the negotiating table rather than push Russia away from talks, and that progress was being made in the peace process, including on hostage negotiations, the outlet reported.
He also defended the diesel deal he struck with Russian President Vladimir Putin on 9 October, which allows Russia to supply diesel to American and international markets despite sanctions imposed over the invasion of Ukraine. Russia subsequently eased its own diesel export ban, the Kyiv Independent reported.
Trump said Russia was doing little to help Iran in its war with the United States and was instead supplying the world with low-priced diesel, and he blamed Ukraine's strikes on Russian oil refineries for pushing up global fuel prices, the outlet said. The Kyiv Independent said the war between the US and Iran, not Ukraine's refinery campaign, was the main driver of the price rise.
Zelensky said on 18 October that Russia had attacked Ukrainian energy, oil and gas facilities 76 times since Trump announced an energy ceasefire on 11 October, leaving tens of thousands of families without electricity, according to the Kyiv Independent. Ukraine initially paused strikes on Russian refineries after the ceasefire announcement, then resumed them on 15 October after Russia kept attacking Ukraine's energy infrastructure, the outlet reported.
Trump then stepped up his criticism of Zelensky, saying the Ukrainian leader could have reached a better deal two years ago and describing Ukraine's position as badly weakened. "I want this war end," he wrote on Truth Social, according to the Kyiv Independent.
The Kyiv Independent had reported separately on 12 October, citing two Ukrainian officials, that Washington had threatened to suspend intelligence-sharing and weapons deliveries to pressure Kyiv into halting strikes on Russian energy facilities. The outlet's own analysis, published on 14 October, found limited economic benefits in the diesel agreement but said it carried potential political advantages for the Kremlin.
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What we know
- Trump defended his sanctions waiver and a diesel deal with Russia in Truth Social posts on 18 October, the Kyiv Independent reported.
- Trump said Zelensky never wanted to end the war and that Ukraine's position had weakened, according to the outlet.
- Zelensky said Russia had attacked Ukrainian energy facilities 76 times since an 11 October ceasefire announcement, leaving tens of thousands without power.
- The Kyiv Independent reported on 12 October that Washington had threatened to suspend intelligence-sharing and weapons deliveries to pressure Kyiv to stop striking Russian refineries, citing two Ukrainian officials.
Not yet confirmed
- Whether the threatened suspension of intelligence-sharing and weapons deliveries was ever carried out.
Why it matters for Europe
The dispute points to a widening rift between Washington and Kyiv over how to end the war, as the Trump administration eases sanctions on Russian energy exports that European governments have spent years trying to curb. A continued diesel deal with Moscow could affect fuel markets that reach Europe, while Zelensky's account of repeated Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities points to a harder winter for Ukrainian households than the ceasefire Trump announced on 11 October was meant to bring.
Sources
Reported by 4 reports from 4 independent outlets in 1 countries.
- The Kyiv Independent: 'I want this war end' — Trump defends pro-Russian policies in scathing diatribe against Zelensky
- The Independent: UK must rejoin EU to combat growing threat from Russia and Trump, Burnham warned
- Daily Mirror: Trump launches attack on 'foolish' Zelensky in extraordinary rant urging Ukraine to surrender
- The Telegraph: Trump: Zelensky never wanted to end Ukraine war
Source balance
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Questions and answers
- What did Trump say about Zelensky?
- He said the Ukrainian leader never wanted to end the war and that Ukraine's position had weakened, according to the Kyiv Independent.
- What is the diesel deal with Russia?
- Trump announced on 9 October a deal allowing Russia to supply diesel to international markets despite sanctions over the Ukraine invasion.
- How many times did Russia strike Ukraine's energy facilities, according to Zelensky?
- Zelensky said Russia struck Ukrainian energy, oil and gas facilities 76 times since an 11 October ceasefire announcement.
This article was written with AI assistance from 4 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.