Ukraine Zelenskyy warns that Western allies are “wasting time” as he prepares to meet Donald Trump at the United Nations in New York next week. The Ukrainian president said sanctions must be imposed on Russia if Vladimir Putin refuses peace talks or a ceasefire.
Zelenskyy stressed that continued Russian aggression without strong international pressure would only prolong the war. “If the war continues and there are no moves towards peace, we expect sanctions,” he said.
Trump has repeatedly threatened sanctions but has not yet acted. He recently claimed the US was ready to impose “major sanctions” on Russia but only if NATO countries first agreed to stop buying Russian oil and place tariffs on China. Zelenskyy called this linkage a delay tactic, arguing it weakened pressure on Moscow.
“President Trump expects strong action from Europe. I think we are wasting a lot of time if sanctions are not imposed,” Ukraine Zelenskyy warns, adding that American leadership could force European countries to move faster.
Ukraine Zelenskyy Warns
Currently, Hungary and Slovakia remain the only EU members still importing Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline. Ukraine’s strike on the pipeline last month drew condemnation from Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán. Zelenskyy said Trump could “push” Europe to impose wider sanctions, including on Slovakia’s pro-Russian government.
The Ukrainian leader also signaled openness to direct talks with Putin, either one-on-one or with Trump as mediator. However, the Kremlin insists on addressing what it calls the “root causes” of the conflict first.
During his US visit, Zelenskyy will also seek clarity on Washington’s security guarantees for Ukraine as part of any future peace deal. His wife, Olena Zelenska, is expected to meet Melania Trump to discuss the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has intensified its drone attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, striking the Saratov and Samara oil refineries in recent days. Zelenskyy predicted Russia’s fuel shortages will worsen, while Kyiv continues ramping up domestic drone production.
Russia retaliated with large-scale missile and drone strikes across Ukraine, killing at least three civilians in Dnipro and hitting multiple regions including Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, and Zaporizhzhia.
On social media, Ukraine Zelenskyy warns that Russia is deliberately targeting civilians and infrastructure as part of a “terror strategy.” He urged Europe to provide stronger air defenses and speed up weapons supplies, stressing that “a strong international response is urgently needed.”
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