KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused the United States of seeking to pressure Ukraine into surrendering in its ongoing conflict with Russia, signaling a significant deterioration in relations between Kyiv and Washington. In an interview published Sunday, Zelensky expressed concern over recent U.S. actions that he believes could strengthen Russia’s military capabilities while limiting Ukraine’s ability to continue fighting.
“I believe steps have been taken to convince Ukraine to capitulate,” Zelensky told Bloomberg News, citing a series of measures by the Trump administration in recent days. Although he said he hoped Washington was not aiming for an accelerated end to the war at Ukraine’s expense, he added, “But that’s how it looks.”
The exchange between Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump comes amid escalating tensions between the two leaders. Zelensky suggested that Trump has an affinity for autocratic figures, a comment widely seen as referencing Russian President Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, Trump has publicly urged Ukrainian voters to replace Zelensky in office.
On Sunday, Zelensky indicated on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he would run for reelection if a presidential vote were held during the war, marking the first time he has publicly addressed this possibility. However, he downplayed the likelihood of elections amid ongoing hostilities, noting that Russia has repeatedly refused cease-fire agreements necessary to conduct a vote, and that the majority of Ukrainians do not support holding elections in wartime.
Tensions between Kyiv and Washington intensified on Oct. 9, when President Trump announced plans for the United States to purchase Russian diesel fuel to help lower U.S. fuel prices ahead of midterm elections. Zelensky and his government expressed concern that such a deal would funnel billions of dollars to Russia’s economy. Trump also reportedly urged Ukrainian forces to cease attacks on Russian oil refineries, a strategic target for Ukraine’s war effort, so that Russian oil could reenter the global market.
In a social media post on Sunday evening, Trump openly sided with Russia, framing his offer of incentives to the Kremlin as a path toward a negotiated peace agreement. He accused Zelensky of being unwilling to end the war.
Adding to concerns in Kyiv, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov announced that Putin, Trump, and Chinese President Xi Jinping might meet next month in Shenzhen, China. Ukrainian officials fear such high-level talks could lead to an unfavorable settlement imposed on Ukraine.
Kyiv has also accused the United States of restricting Ukrainian access to a secure satellite internet network provided by Washington, an essential tool for frontline operations. Ukrainian officials have reported gaps in U.S. intelligence sharing, which supplies early warnings of Russian ballistic missile attacks.
Officials in Kyiv said they did not receive alerts on multiple occasions last week and again on Sunday night ahead of missile strikes on the capital. Zelensky stated on social media that Ukraine received “no early warning from our partners” before the attacks.
U.S. officials have denied any deliberate cessation of ballistic missile intelligence sharing. Secretary of State Marco Rubio attributed the previous week’s lack of warnings to a “software problem involving their early warning system” but declined to comment on the incident on Sunday night.