Zelenskyy: Trump sees need for greater pressure on Putin beyond EU sanctions

When asked whether President Trump had committed to stepping up pressure on Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin to end the war, Zelenskyy replied:

"Yes, President Trump understands that we need more pressure on him. Pressure from Europe alone is not enough. They are our partners, but it’s not sufficient."

He stressed that pressure must be applied to Russia’s energy sector, as well as its financial and banking systems.

"We spoke about this in detail, and we are counting on sanctions from the United States," Zelenskyy added.

US sanctions against Russia

At a UN Security Council meeting, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump’s patience was not unlimited and that he had both the ability and options to impose sanctions on Russia if it did not end the war.

He also emphasized that the US president had all the tools necessary to provide both defensive and offensive weapons so that Ukraine could protect itself.

Recently, Trump himself said his patience with Moscow was running out and warned that the US could strike Russia hard with sanctions, targeting oil and banks in particular.

At the same time, he made it clear that new measures would only be considered if NATO countries stopped buying Russian oil and the European Union fully abandoned imports of Russian energy.