United States President Donald Trump has defended his decision to waive sanctions on Russia, saying he wants to keep Moscow at the negotiating table. He also accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of not wanting to end the war in Ukraine. Trump made the remarks on Truth Social on Sunday, responding to criticism of his move to hold off numerous sanctions on Russia just days before they were due to take effect.
The decision has caused a sharp diplomatic rift between Trump and Zelenskyy over the past week. Trump said his position was simple: he is working to negotiate peace between Russia and Ukraine, and he does not want to take steps that would push Russia away from talks.
Zelenskyy says the waiver will hurt Ukraine
Zelenskyy said that waiving sanctions on Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbour in 2022, will hurt Ukraine. In a Sunday television interview, he argued that the move would strengthen the war effort of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Zelenskyy rejected any comparison between himself and Putin. He called Putin an aggressor who had occupied Ukraine and killed adults and children, and described him as a terrorist. He said he hoped Trump would take a very clear position on the issue.
Trump repeated his claim that Zelenskyy does not want the war to end. On Truth Social, he said Kyiv was attacking diesel refineries in Russia despite knowing this was seriously hurting world diesel markets. He added that Zelenskyy does not care, pointing to the money Europe provides to Ukraine.
Diesel supply plan and criticism from allies
Trump announced plans on October 9 for Russia to supply more than 300,000 metric tonnes of diesel to US and global markets. The aim is to ease fuel prices that have soared since the US and Israel launched war on Iran in late February. That conflict led Tehran to effectively close the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of global energy exports passed before the war.
Trump’s embrace of Russian energy has angered Kyiv, European partners and many US officials. Critics say the move rewards Moscow while it continues its four-and-a-half-year war against Ukraine.
Ukraine says talks with US envoys continue
Zelenskyy said on X on Sunday that he had spoken with US presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. He described “virtually non-stop communication” between the two countries’ teams, aimed at the “next steps in diplomacy”. He said Ukraine was doing its part to ensure America’s position is strong and helps bring peace closer.
The talks come as Russia and Ukraine continue to strike each other’s energy sites. Moscow has left thousands without power, while Kyiv carried out the largest drone attack on Russia, in St Petersburg, since the war began.
