Three killed in Russian strikes as Trump claims Zelensky never wanted peace, rift deepens with Kyiv

Trump attacks Zelensky

On Sunday, Trump wrote on Truth Social that Zelensky did not want the war with Russia to end. He said the Ukrainian president “probably never did,” while referring to money provided by Europe and former US president Joe Biden.

Trump also accused Zelensky of targeting diesel refineries in Russia, saying the attacks were harming global diesel markets. His remarks further strained relations between the US and Ukraine.

Sanctions reversal and satellite report

On Friday night, Trump reversed course on sanctions against Russia that he had agreed to and signed into law in September. The Telegraph had earlier reported that Elon Musk proposed slowing the satellite system that helps Ukraine intercept Russian drones. The article did not provide further details about that proposal.

Ukraine weighs US support

Keir Giles, an associate fellow with Chatham House’s Russia and Eurasia programme, said Ukraine would accommodate Trump’s demands. He said Ukraine’s dependence on US support was lower than it had been in 2022.

Giles said punitive steps by Trump’s group or Musk could still cause serious harm to Kyiv. He added that Ukraine had judged this a cost it must bear to keep fighting.

Russian strikes kill three

On Monday, Russia fired 16 ballistic missiles at Kyiv and the surrounding region, alongside more than 200 drones across Ukraine. The attacks killed three people and damaged 10 energy facilities.