Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky chided the tone of U.S. and Russia relations as “too warm” Saturday, while re-upping his push for Washington to ratchet up sanctions on Moscow.
The Ukrainian leader stressed that “no one has been able to stop” Russian strongman Vladimir Putin so far, but surmised that President Trump could if he takes a tougher stand.
“Right now, the tone of the U.S.–Russia dialogue feels too warm. Let’s be honest: that won’t stop Putin. What’s needed is a shift in tone,” Zelensky wrote on X.
Right now, the tone of the U.S.–Russia dialogue feels too warm. Let’s be honest: that won’t stop Putin. What’s needed is a shift in tone. Putin must understand clearly: America will stand with Ukraine, including by imposing sanctions and supporting our army.
Any signals of…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 14, 2025
“Putin must understand clearly: America will stand with Ukraine, including by imposing sanctions and supporting our army. Any signals of reduced aid, or of treating Ukraine and Russia as equals, are deeply unfair. Russia is the aggressor. They started this war. They do not want to end it.
“That’s why the world must send a clear message: if Putin refuses to end the war, the strongest possible sanctions will follow.”
Zelensky’s remarks appear to take aim at some of Trump’s recent comments, where he likened the warring nations to “two young children fighting like crazy.” He’s also repeatedly implied that Kyiv bears — as does Russia — responsibility for the bloody war.
“You should have never started it,” Trump pubically said of Zelensky back in February.
Russia began the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are currently mulling a sanctions package introduced by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) last month.
That sweeping package further tightens the existing sanctions on Russia and slaps 500% tariffs on countries that do business with the Kremlin.
Trump has sent mixed signals about the sanctions package, concerned that it could derail negotiations with Russia while also indicating that he is losing patience with Putin.
Zelensky appears to be angling to pressure Trump on further tightening the screws on Russia ahead of the Group of 7 summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, beginning on Sunday.
Zelensky had been working to meet Trump at the G7, which would be their first face-to-face since their meeting at the Vatican in April.
“No one has been able to stop Putin. Only Trump remains, he might be able to. But to stop Putin, one thing is essential: he must lose money. Only then will he be unable to expand his army and military sector,” Zelensky said.
The Ukrainian leader called for tougher sanctions targeting Russia’s oil revenue, banking sector and avenues of circumventing existing penalties.
He warned that “Putin has radicalized his society through propaganda” and pumped his people “full of hatred toward NATO, the US, and the West.”
“Ukraine has shown it is ready to do everything for peace — everything except surrender. But let’s be honest: what is a ceasefire if not simply the act of ceasing fire?” he added.
At the start of the month, Ukraine carried out a stunning drone attack that wiped out dozens of Russian bombers deep within its neighbor’s territory.
Trump had a call with Putin days after that military breakthrough, but publicly acknowledged that it is “not a conversation that will lead to immediate peace.”
