Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of attempting to manipulate the U.S. and evade sanctions. In an interview with Sky News published on Sept. 16, Zelenskyy said Putin is “doing everything he can to avoid sanctions, to prevent the U.S. from imposing them.”
Zelenskyy warned that delays in applying sanctions only give Russia more time to prepare. He criticized U.S. President Donald Trump’s Aug. 15 summit with Putin in Alaska, arguing it allowed the Russian leader to escape political isolation without facing sufficient consequences, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
“If it was a trilateral meeting with Ukraine, we would have seen some results,” Zelenskyy said, reiterating his preference for direct talks involving all three leaders and extending an invitation for Putin to visit Kyiv.
Trump had initially suggested arranging direct talks between the two presidents, but plans fell through after Putin invited Zelenskyy to Moscow—a proposal Kyiv rejected. Trump later indicated that the two leaders “are incapable of talking to each other” and that any talks would require his direct involvement.
So far, the U.S. has limited actions to new tariffs on India’s purchases of Russian oil, holding off on new sanctions against Moscow until European partners take stronger steps.
