The key facts

  • Zelensky told Euronews that negotiating with Trump is easier than with Putin
  • He warned that 'diesel deals' would lead to new concessions on gas, banks and the chemical industry
  • Von der Leyen stated that the EU will not lift sanctions until Russia ends the war

Response to Trump's criticism

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, at the EU summit in Brussels, responded to Donald Trump's statement that the Ukrainian leader is harder to deal with than Vladimir Putin. Answering a question from an Euronews correspondent, Zelensky said: 'He is, of course, easier to deal with than Putin. I am talking about Trump.' According to him, he has had several meetings with the US president, and the parties 'always find topics for discussion and for making decisions.'

Tension between Kyiv and Washington

The statements came amid disagreements between Kyiv and Washington over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure and Trump's decision to ease sanctions on Russian diesel fuel. The US president criticized the strikes, blaming them for rising global fuel prices. Zelensky emphasized that his priority is protecting Ukraine's national interests regardless of external pressure: 'I defend exclusively the interests of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. We were attacked, we were occupied, our people were killed. It is logical that we have the right to self-defense.' He did not directly answer the question of whether European leaders support further strikes on Russian refineries, only reiterating Ukraine's right to defend itself.

Accusations against Putin

Zelensky said that Kyiv still intends to end the war through negotiations, but accused Putin of having no genuine interest in a peace agreement. 'Putin does not want negotiations in any format right now,' he said, calling Moscow's rhetoric 'a parody of a genuine desire to end the war.' In his view, 'he does not want the war to end. I am sure that is exactly why even Donbas is not enough for him.'

Warning about easing sanctions

Zelensky warned that easing restrictions on Russian diesel could lead to new concessions and undermine Western efforts to limit Moscow's ability to finance the war. 'We cannot agree to these