Trump publicly accuses Zelensky of not wanting to end the war, criticizes Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries
On October 18, US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social accusing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of not wanting to end the war with Russia, and criticizing Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries as harmful to global diesel markets. Trump said he is withholding an unspecified Russia-related document so as not to "foolishly push Russia away from the negotiating table." Zelensky, in a Bloomberg interview the same day, countered that Trump cannot force Putin to stop the war and accused him of pressuring Kyiv and delaying Patriot deliveries.
Key points
- Trump posted on Truth Social on October 18 accusing Zelensky of not wanting to end the war with Russia, writing that Zelensky "never wanted" to.
- Trump criticized Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries, claiming they seriously harm global diesel markets, including for US farmers.
- Trump said he is leading peace negotiations and does not want to do anything that would "foolishly push Russia away from the negotiating table."
- Trump said he could sign an unspecified Russia-related document "later or at any time" he chooses, but is not signing it now.
- Trump described Ukraine as being in ruins, having lost significant territory, and said Zelensky could have made a better deal two years ago.
- On October 16 Trump signed an executive order declining to implement the late Senator Lindsey Graham's law allowing tariffs of up to 100% on countries that are major consumers of Russian oil and gas.
- In a Bloomberg interview on October 18, Zelensky said Trump has good relations with Putin but cannot currently force him to stop the war, and hoped relations would calm after the November 3 US midterms.
Why it matters
This is a sharp public rebuke by the US president of the leader of a US-allied country at war, and it recasts US policy toward the conflict as tied to global diesel market dynamics rather than to Ukraine's territorial integrity. Trump is simultaneously signaling he is withholding a Russia-related sanctions/tariffs instrument as leverage, and framing Zelensky as the main obstacle to peace. The episode deepens a public Kyiv-Washington rift that has already affected military aid, including deliveries of Patriot interceptor missiles.
What happened
On October 18, 2026, US President Donald Trump published a lengthy post on Truth Social attacking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries. Trump accused Zelensky of not wanting to end the war with Russia, writing that he "never wanted" to end it, and claimed Zelensky was using Russian diesel refineries as targets despite knowing the strikes harm global diesel markets, including US farmers, ranchers and businesses. Trump argued that two years ago Zelensky could have struck a better deal than the one available now, and described Ukraine as lying in ruins, having lost significant territory and much of its male population. He framed himself as the party leading peace negotiations and said he did not want to do anything that would "foolishly push Russia away from the negotiating table," adding that he could sign an unspecified Russia-related document "later or at any time" he wanted. He also noted that Russia is doing "very little, if anything" to help Iran and said he wanted to keep it that way. The post came two days after Trump signed an executive order on October 16 declining to implement the late Senator Lindsey Graham's law, which would have allowed tariffs of up to 100% on imports from countries that are major consumers of Russian oil and gas or help evade energy sanctions. The same day as the post, Zelensky told Bloomberg that Trump has good relations with Putin but cannot currently force him to stop the war, and expressed hope that relations would calm after the November 3 US midterms. On the preceding Sunday, Zelensky had accused Trump of trying to pressure Ukraine into capitulation and of delaying Patriot deliveries.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian outlets lead with Zelensky's counter-accusation that Trump is pressuring Ukraine into capitulation and delaying Patriot missile deliveries, and foreground his Bloomberg interview claim that Trump has good relations with Putin but cannot force him to stop the war. They frame the diesel-market argument as a pretext that would embolden Putin rather than as a genuine economic concern, and highlight Zelensky's hope that US-Ukraine ties will calm following the November 3 US midterm elections.
How international sources describe it
International coverage quotes Trump's Truth Social post verbatim, including his claim that Zelensky "never wanted" to end the war, and highlights Trump's stated willingness to sign the unspecified Russia-related sanctions/tariffs document later if he chooses, presenting this as leverage in negotiations. Some international pieces note domestic US reactions, including Speaker of the House Mike Johnson requesting consultations with the White House on the consequences of Trump's decision not to apply new sanctions against Russia, and Senator Ted Cruz proposing alternative fuel-price measures, including increased imports from Canada.
Where reporting differs
Trump frames the Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries as a serious harm to global and US diesel markets, while Zelensky counters that any US diesel deal with Moscow would not meaningfully affect American oil prices and would instead strengthen Putin's desire to occupy Ukraine; Zelensky also calls US support for Russia's actions a historical mistake rather than a market fix. Trump casts Zelensky as the party blocking peace, saying he "never wanted" to end the war; Zelensky instead accuses Trump of pressuring Ukraine into capitulation and delaying Patriot deliveries, and points to Putin as the unresolved obstacle.
Background
On October 16, Trump signed an executive order declining to implement the late Senator Lindsey Graham's law that would have allowed tariffs of up to 100% on imports from countries that are major consumers of Russian oil and gas or that help evade energy sanctions. On the Sunday before Trump's Truth Social post, he accused Trump of trying to pressure Ukraine into capitulation to Russia and of delaying Patriot interceptor missile deliveries. In a Bloomberg interview on October 18, Zelensky said Trump has good relations with Putin but cannot currently force him to stop the war, and expressed hope that relations would calm after the November 3 US midterm elections. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson requested consultations with the White House on the consequences of Trump's decision not to apply new sanctions against Russia, while Senator Ted Cruz proposed alternative fuel-price measures, including increased imports from Canada.