Zelensky: Trump Can Help End the War by Changing His Rhetoric Toward Putin

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview for the podcast "The Diary Of A CEO", hosted by Steven Bartlett, that US President Donald Trump can help end Russia's war against Ukraine. In Zelensky's view, Trump needs to change the rhetoric he directs at Russian President Vladimir Putin, which is currently harsher toward the Ukrainian leader himself.

Sanctions as a tool

Zelensky stressed that Trump could fairly easily get Putin to agree to talks. According to him, the US president has sanctions against Russia at his disposal, which were voted on not by Trump but by the US Congress. The Ukrainian president said he did not know why Trump was not acting this way, suggesting the reason might be a special relationship with Putin or something else.

Dispute over fuel prices

Zelensky rejected Trump's accusation that Ukraine is to blame for rising diesel prices. He explained that Ukraine attacks Russian oil refineries in response to Russian strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

In his words, the situation could change with an energy ceasefire, but so far Trump has not managed to reach an agreement on it with Putin. Zelensky said Putin turns the US president down, so Trump shifts the blame onto the Ukrainian leader.

Zelensky claimed that Trump tells Americans that prices in the US are rising because of Ukrainian attacks on Russia, and called this an outright lie. He added that relations with Trump are good, but he considers such blame unfair and said Trump distorts the context.