Trump says Zelensky 'doesn't want to end this war'; Zelensky says US has resumed missile-warning intelligence
Trump defended his Russia policy on Truth Social. Zelensky told NBC that US intelligence on ballistic launches had resumed after a three-day gap, and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called his Starlink claims 'very reckless'.
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday 18 October (US time) that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “doesn’t want to end this war, and probably never did”, in a post on his Truth Social platform reported by The Guardian and The Kyiv Independent.
“I am in the process of negotiating Peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine, and don’t want to do anything that will drive, foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table,” Trump wrote. “Great progress is being made.” He said Zelensky was “using Diesel Refineries in Russia as a target, knowing that these attacks are seriously hurting the world diesel markets, including those in the United States”, and added: “He could have made a better deal two years ago than he can now.”
In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press aired on Sunday, Zelensky said US intelligence on Russian ballistic missile launches “was blocked for some period of time. And then it was deblocked”, and that Ukraine “didn’t get it during ballistic attacks during three days”. He said slower Starlink speeds in Ukraine were “a message from [the] American government”, adding that “technically, SpaceX did it”. Of Trump, he said: “We want to trust him and I hope that he will change his decisions.”
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told the same programme the claim was “very reckless”, saying Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio “have categorically said that no one in the Trump administration did that”. Rubio said on Friday that Ukraine does not currently have access to SpaceX’s military Starshield system, RFE/RL reported.
Zelensky said on X that he had spoken with Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, writing: “Peace comes only through strength and cooperation built on trust.”
Background
Trump announced an “energy ceasefire” between Russia and Ukraine on 11 October. Zelensky said on X on Sunday that Russia had since attacked Ukraine’s energy and oil and gas sectors 76 times. In his post, Trump defended his waiving of sanctions on Russia and a deal to buy Russian diesel, saying Russia was doing “very little, if anything” to help Iran, The Kyiv Independent reported. Zelensky said Ukrainian and US officials were preparing the next steps in diplomacy, RFE/RL reported.
Watch: Zelenskyy says Ukraine 'will not prevail' if U.S. takes Russia's side: Full interview (NBC News on YouTube)
Sources
- 'I want this war end' — Trump defends pro-Russian policies in scathing diatribe against Zelensky · The Kyiv Independent
- Zelenskyy thanks Trump for resumed intelligence sharing after US Starlink 'message' · The Guardian
- Zelenskyy says Ukraine 'will not prevail' if U.S. takes Russia's side: Full interview · NBC News, Meet the Press
- Zelenskyy Says Russia Seeking Blackout In Ukraine After Latest Onslaught On Energy Facilities · Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
- Ukraine and the U.S. are at odds over Starshield. Here's what to know · NPR
- Zelensky on his call with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner (post on X) · Volodymyr Zelensky (verified X account)
- Zelensky on Russian attacks on energy since the energy ceasefire announcement (post on X) · Volodymyr Zelensky (verified X account)
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