The latest clash between Washington and Kyiv has been building for days. Trump’s post didn’t just defend his approach to Russia. It also took direct aim at the Ukrainian president, claiming Zelensky “doesn’t care” and ending with the line “I WANT THIS WAR END!”
Relations between the two men have been tense for some time. Trump recently struck a controversial deal with Moscow to import diesel, and he has reportedly described Zelensky as harder to deal with than Putin. Zelensky, for his part, has accused the US president of trying to pressure Ukraine into surrendering to Russia.
Sanctions at the Centre of the Dispute
The sanctions question is where the disagreement is sharpest. Trump has held back on signing new measures against Moscow despite criticism, arguing that the option remains open to him. His reasoning is that tougher penalties could scare Russia away from negotiations.
Zelensky sees it very differently. Speaking to NBC, he said easing off Russia would only give Putin more room to keep fighting. “People want to forget what’s going on,” he said, but Ukraine can’t allow the truth to be changed or forgotten. He described Putin as an aggressor and a terrorist who occupied Ukraine and whose soldiers have killed adults and children. He said he hopes Trump will take a clear position on that.
Ukraine Steps Up Strikes on Russian Oil
While the war of words played out online, the fighting continued. Ukraine launched a fresh wave of attacks on Russian oil refineries this week. On Sunday, an oil export terminal and a depot were reported ablaze in St Petersburg, as Kyiv sent more than 1,000 drones towards Russia.
Russia’s defence ministry said it had shot down 1,015 Ukrainian drones across 15 Russian regions, the annexed Crimean peninsula and the Black Sea.
Ukraine had briefly paused its attacks on Russian oil facilities. Zelensky explained that it resumed them because Russia hit Ukraine’s energy, oil and gas sectors 76 times in the week following Trump’s announcement. He has also said the strikes are a stand against the diesel deal, which he says he cannot accept.
Diplomacy Continues in the Background
Talks haven’t stopped entirely. Later on Sunday, Zelensky said he had spoken with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The call followed a meeting between American and Ukrainian negotiating teams in Miami on October 9, and the group discussed the next steps in diplomacy.
Meanwhile, Putin has floated the idea of a meeting between himself, Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping next month to discuss Ukraine and try to end the four-year conflict. Zelensky would not take part in those talks, a detail likely to deepen concerns in Kyiv about being sidelined.
What Comes Next
With the war now in its fourth year, the gap between the two sides on how to reach peace appears as wide as ever. Trump wants to keep Russia at the table, while Zelensky argues that pressure, not patience, is what will change Moscow’s behaviour. How that disagreement plays out in the coming weeks, especially if the proposed three-way summit goes ahead, could shape the next phase of the conflict.
Some of us here in America HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN the Ukraine. Our damn president thinks he can do what he wants, just lke a toddler with no discipline. GO UKRAINE !
ReplyDelete