Zelenskyy Opposes Trump's Plan to Lift Russia Sanctions

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that lifting sanctions against Russia would strengthen President Vladimir Putin and undermine efforts to end the war. In an interview with CNN, Zelenskyy argued that easing these restrictions would empower the Russian leader, while maintaining that Ukraine will not recognize occupied territories as Russian.

U.S. President Donald Trump disagreed, asserting that tighter sanctions could jeopardize delicate peace negotiations. Trump noted that previous sanctions had hindered the release of American prisoner Stephen Hubbard. Tensions between Washington and Kyiv have increased following Trump's decision to buy Russian fuel, waive certain sanctions, and implement restrictions on SpaceX's Starlink services. Although Trump claimed military-grade Starlink access was restored, Ukrainian sources report the service remains insufficient to intercept jet-powered drones.

Diplomatic efforts are ongoing as U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met with both Zelenskyy and Putin. While Zelenskyy indicated Ukraine might consider freezing current front lines to stop the fighting, he ruled out territorial concessions. Amid these negotiations, Finland announced a €300 million support package to assist Ukraine's energy and logistics sectors.