Zelensky Accuses Trump of Pressuring Ukraine to Surrender to Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday accused Donald Trump of pressuring Kyiv to surrender to Russia, citing restrictions on battlefield communications and delays in delivering air-defense missiles.

Zelensky proposed suspending attacks on Russian diesel facilities in exchange for additional Patriot interceptors.

He told Bloomberg that Washington wanted the strikes stopped without accepting that exchange.

“I believe steps have been taken to convince Ukraine to capitulate,” he said.

Zelensky qualified the accusation, adding: “I am not saying that this is the goal our partners are pursuing.”

However, he said U.S. actions gave the impression that Washington believed it could secure a faster settlement at Ukraine’s expense.

Missiles and Starlink

Zelensky said the U.S. was supplying only 12 Patriot interceptors a month, about a quarter of the volume delivered under Joe Biden.

The missiles are among Ukraine’s defenses against Russian ballistic attacks.

He said some weapons purchased through the PURL program received U.S. authorization for delivery, while others remained blocked. Zelensky rejected technical explanations for the delays.

He also blamed the White House for restrictions affecting Starlink, the SpaceX satellite internet service used by Ukrainian forces, citing sources he did not identify.

According to Zelensky, connections in Ukraine cut out when terminals travel faster than 161 kilometers an hour, while the service operates without that restriction outside the country.

He put the speed of Russian drones at about 400 kilometers an hour.

A Russian ballistic missile attack on Kyiv late Sunday killed at least one person, local authorities said. Preliminary findings indicated that a medical center had been struck.

The U.S. provided no advance warning of the launch, according to a person familiar with the matter, reducing Ukraine’s time to prepare its defenses and alert civilians.

Diesel Deal Deepens Rift

The dispute has intensified since Trump agreed to refrain from tightening sanctions on Russia in return for Moscow supplying limited additional diesel volumes to global markets.

Trump’s decision to waive parts of a Russia sanctions law also drew criticism from Republicans.

He defended the agreement on Sunday, saying he wanted to keep Vladimir Putin engaged in peace negotiations.

The U.S. president accused Zelensky of seeking to prolong the conflict.

“He doesn’t want to end this war, and probably never did,” Trump wrote.

Washington argues that Ukrainian refinery attacks have raised energy prices, particularly diesel costs.

The war between the U.S. and Iran has had a substantially greater effect on global supplies, according to the supplied report.

Kyiv had already offered to stop attacking refineries if Russia halted strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

Ukraine resumed attacks after a brief pause to assess whether Moscow would observe an energy ceasefire announced by Trump.

Ukrainian officials said Russian strikes on substations over the weekend left tens of thousands of families without electricity.

Diplomacy Continues

Despite the confrontation, Zelensky said he remained in contact with Trump’s envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. Another meeting was under discussion, likely for later this week.

Separately, The Wall Street Journal reported that Putin had proposed talks with Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping next month on ending the war.

Trump had not agreed, and the meeting remained uncertain.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said discussions about a summit had taken place, but nothing had been finalized.

Zelensky suggested relations with Washington could become calmer after the November 3 U.S. midterm elections. Ukraine, meanwhile, faces winter with scarce interceptors, recurring blackouts and the threat of further disruption to heating and water supplies.