Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with the American publication Bloomberg that Washington's recent steps regarding Kyiv look like an attempt to force Ukraine to capitulate to Russia. At the same time, he emphasized that he is not claiming the partners are setting such a goal consciously: "I do not want to think that our American partners believe the war can be ended faster at Ukraine's expense. But that is how it looks," the head of state explained. According to him, Kyiv expects that relations between the two countries will become calmer after the US midterm elections.
Starlink and Patriot: Specific Examples of Pressure
Among the steps Zelenskyy regarded as deliberate pressure, he cited restrictions on the operation of Starlink satellite internet and delayed deliveries of missiles for Patriot air defense systems, for which Ukraine has already paid. Starlink restrictions have been in effect since the night of October 14: terminals installed on Ukrainian drones maintain a connection only at speeds up to 160 km/h. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in turn, denies White House involvement in these restrictions and stated that Ukraine does not yet have access to the Starshield system. Thus, the question of who exactly initiated the malfunction in the satellite channel remains a point of divergence between Kyiv and Washington.
Assessment of Trump and Putin's Relationship
Zelenskyy acknowledged that Donald Trump indeed has a good relationship with Vladimir Putin. However, in his view, this does not mean the US president is capable of influencing the outcome of the conflict: "Right now, Trump cannot force Putin to end the war," the Ukrainian leader stated. He also added that this week he will most likely meet again with Trump's special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, which points to an ongoing, albeit tense, channel of dialogue between the two capitals.
Context: Sanctions, Diesel Fuel, and Energy Strikes
Zelenskyy's statements came against the backdrop of several high-profile events. On Friday, October 17, Trump froze the sanctions law against Russia previously passed by Congress, and immediately before that agreed with Moscow on a diesel fuel supply deal. Meanwhile, Russia continues massive strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure: according to Kyiv, in the week following the announcement of the so-called "energy truce," the invaders attacked energy facilities 76 times. Zelenskyy commented on this: "When there are tsunami-scale risks for Ukraine, you have to intervene while it's still a light storm. I think much more is at stake than the diesel fuel deal."
Expectations After the Midterm Elections
Zelenskyy devoted the final part of the interview to prospects. According to him, during the election cycle politics becomes especially aggressive, and the current phase, in his assessment, is an "agony." However, he expressed confidence that after the US midterm elections scheduled for November 3, the situation will stabilize: "Life will go on, and, I believe, it will become calmer." These words can be regarded as a signal that Kyiv intends to withstand the current period of pressure and shift key negotiations to the post-electoral period.
