Trump says Zelenskyy is reluctant to end war as he waives Russia sanctions

President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that his decision to waive certain sanctions on Russia is intended to keep Moscow at the negotiating table and to facilitate peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. He added that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy "doesn't care" about ending the war and that, despite extensive European aid, Zelenskyy "probably never did" want peace.

Trump signed an executive order on Friday that temporarily suspends broad sanctions mandated by legislation named for the late Senator Lindsey Graham and also lifted restrictions on Russian diesel shipments, a move he linked to lower fuel prices ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. Economists noted that the suspension is unlikely to have a significant impact on U.S. fuel costs.

The sanctions waiver prompted a sharp response from Kyiv and its allies. Zelenskyy told NBC's "Meet the Press" that if the United States were to side with Russia, Ukraine would not prevail, calling such a shift "a historic mistake and big tragedy." He also said Washington had resumed sharing intelligence after a recent interruption and criticized U.S. restrictions that he said hindered Ukraine's war effort.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the suspension, saying the administration wants to assess its economic impact. Zelenskyy later met with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, emphasizing that the war must end and that Ukraine is ready to work constructively with its European and U.S. partners. He also discussed deliveries of Patriot air-defense systems.

Separately, the Wall Street Journal reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a meeting with Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next month to discuss ending the war, a plan that would not include Zelenskyy. Meanwhile, Russian and Ukrainian forces continued to strike each other's energy infrastructure, causing civilian casualties and power outages.