Trump signed an order suspending a package of sanctions passed by Congress in a bill named for the late Senator Lindsay Graham. The US President said the pause was in the US “national interest”
Zelensky said Trump was encouraging Putin to continue the war(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Donald Trump of rewarding and encouraging Vladimir Putin by blocking more US sanctions against Russia.
Trump signed an order suspending a package of sanctions passed by Congress in a bill named for the late Senator Lindsey Graham. The US President said the pause was in the US “national interest”.
Zelensky later posted photographs of himself and Graham – who was both an ally of Trump and a staunch defender of Ukraine.
“Thankyou for everything, Lindsey!”, Mr Zelensky wrote in a pointed post on X.
It comes after Trump was accused of betraying Ukraine by agreeing a deal to pump Russian diesel into American tractors and trucks.
Posting on messaging app Telegram, Mr Zelensky said: “The American sanctions blackout, easing pressure on the aggressor, monetary rewards for Putin – all this only encourages him to fight further.”
Speaking to reporters, he said he believed Trump would lift more sanctions in the future.
“Unfortunately, the lifting of sanctions will continue. I believe the ‘diesel deal’ is just the first step,” he said.
Russia carried out a massive strike on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on Friday night, targeting more than 15 sites across the country.
Russian forces launched four cruise missiles and 332 attack drones overnight. All of the missiles and 289 of the drones had been suppressed or destroyed, according to Ukraine’s air force.
Democrat congressman Don Beyer said Trump waiving more sanctions was a betrayal of Ukraine.
Zelenskyy complained about a breakdown in Western intelligence sharing and sudden speed restrictions on the use of Starshield, the military-grade version of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service that is the backbone of Ukraine’s drone operations and military communications.
The Starshield limits that slowed Ukrainian drone interceptors to 70 kph (43 mph) were “a dangerous and unpleasant surprise,” Zelenskyy said in Brussels. But the higher speeds needed to stop jet-powered Russian drones moving at more than 400 kph (250 mph) are being restored, he said.
“Have they returned to previous speed limits? No. But is it coming back? Yes,” he told reporters.
It was reported earlier in the week that the speed reduction had been ordered from inside the Trump administration.
But Trump denied ordering the restrictions, and said he doubted the disruption came from Elon Musk, who owns SpaceX.
He wrote on X: “Trump’s latest surrender to Putin again betrays our Ukrainian partners and defies clear congressional intent of legislation designed to punish Russia for its illegal war of aggression.
Garry Kasparov, the former world chess champion and vocal Putin critic said: “Anything to relieve pressure on Russia or to give money to Russia kills more innocent Ukrainians and prolongs the war. That’s bad for global security and the economy, including America’s.”
He added: “The US needs nothing from Russia, but Trump clearly does.”
