Ukraine’s President: Trump Holds the Key to Putin’s Fear

President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged U.S. President Donald Trump to take a decisive position on both sanctions against Russia and security guarantees for Ukraine, asserting that only firm action could deter Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and bring the war to an end. In an interview with Sky News, reported by European Pravda, Zelensky emphasized that the United States possesses sufficient resources to support Ukraine with air defence systems and to impose sanctions that would significantly impact the Russian economy.

“I believe that the US is strong enough to take decisions of their own. I believe Donald Trump can give us air defence systems in quantity and US has enough. I'm sure the US can apply enough sanctions in order to hurt the Russian economy, plus Donald Trump has enough force to make Putin afraid of him,” Zelensky said. He stressed that clear security guarantees are essential to stopping the fighting, and that this is achievable only if Trump demonstrates political courage.

Zelensky highlighted the importance of coordinated support from the United States and Europe, noting that the EU has already enacted 18 sanction packages against Russia. “All that's lacking now is a strong sanctions package from the US,” he added, urging the U.S. to act promptly to complement European measures.

The Ukrainian president also expressed hope that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, during his state visit, would engage Trump in detailed discussions on Ukraine’s future. Zelensky outlined his preference for a trilateral meeting involving the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia, suggesting it could lead to meaningful outcomes that have so far been missing from direct talks. He criticized Trump’s August summit with Putin in Alaska for providing the Russian leader with a platform to evade international isolation without facing sufficient consequences.

Zelensky warned that Putin is actively seeking to manipulate U.S. leadership to avoid sanctions and prepare Russia to withstand future pressure. “He’s doing everything he can to avoid sanctions, to prevent the U.S. and Trump from putting sanctions on him. If you keep postponing applying sanctions any further, then the Russians will be better prepared,” Zelensky said.

Following the Alaska summit, plans for direct Ukraine–Russia talks, led by Trump, quickly fell apart after Putin proposed a meeting in Moscow, which Kyiv rejected. Zelensky reiterated his invitation for a trilateral discussion and stressed that any negotiations must include a clear position from Trump to be effective.

Meanwhile, Trump has indicated willingness to impose sanctions on Russia if NATO members act in concert and cease purchasing Russian oil. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged that the administration understands the options for sanctions but emphasized that the ultimate decision rests with Trump. To date, the U.S. has limited its measures largely to tariffs on Russian oil imports by India, linking further action to European coordination.