Brief
Trump says Zelensky never wanted to end Ukraine war
Trump accused Zelensky of refusing peace while the US pauses sanctions and imports Russian diesel.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky "doesn’t want to end this war," adding that the European aid and past U.S. assistance have not changed Zelensky’s stance, according to the Independent.
What happened
Trump’s comment came on Sunday after Washington announced a pause on sanctions against Moscow and a decision to import Russian diesel to curb U.S. fuel prices, which have risen to $6.51 per gallon from $3.89 a year earlier. The same day Ukraine claimed more than 1,000 drones struck Russian infrastructure, including an oil terminal in St Petersburg and facilities owned by Ozon and VK. Russia responded on Monday, October 19, with 16 ballistic missiles and over 200 drones targeting Kyiv and surrounding regions, killing three people and damaging ten energy sites.
What the reports add
The Independent notes that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied Trump’s claim that the U.S. slowed Starlink service over Ukraine, saying the slowdown “just sort of happened.” The outlet also cites a statement from Chatham House associate fellow Keir Giles, who said Ukraine’s dependence on U.S. support is lower than in 2022 but still significant.
What was said
Trump said, "Frankly, with all of the money that Europe is famously giving him, and that crooked Joe Biden gave him in the past, he doesn’t want to end this war, and probably never did." The Independent reports Rubio’s denial of any U.S. role in the Starlink slowdown, and Giles’s comment that punitive measures by Trump or Elon Musk would be “a cost that has to be borne” by Kyiv.
How it came about
The feud follows earlier U.S. moves, including a September 13 criticism of Zelensky’s diesel‑targeting attacks and a October 17 waiver of Russia‑related sanctions that intensified the public clash, as covered in previous Felo News articles.
Key facts
- Donald Trump claimed Zelensky never wanted to end the war (independent.co.uk)
- The U.S. paused sanctions on Russia and began importing Russian diesel (independent.co.uk)
- Russia launched 16 ballistic missiles and over 200 drones at Kyiv on Oct 19 (independent.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “Trump claims Zelensky ‘never wanted to end war’ as rift deepens with Kyiv”
