Zelensky Accuses Putin of Trying to 'Trick' Trump, Urges Allies to Use Force Against Russia

Volodymyr Zelensky accused Vladimir Putin of attempting to "trick" former U.S. President Donald Trump and called on Ukraine's allies to use force against Russia, saying diplomatic pressure and sanctions alone have been insufficient to halt Moscow's offensive.

In an interview with Sky News broadcast on Monday, Zelensky criticized a recent summit in Alaska between Trump and Putin, saying the meeting gave Putin political gains without forcing any concessions. "I think it gave a lot to Putin, and I believe, if it was a trilateral meeting [with Ukraine included], we would have some result," he said, adding that the encounter helped "de-isolate" Putin and opened doors for him to participate in other summits.

Zelensky said he believed Trump had offered too many concessions at the Alaska talks and described what he said was Putin's negotiating posture during the meeting, in which Putin reportedly asked for control of parts of eastern Donetsk and Luhansk in exchange for relinquishing other territory held by Russian forces. "He should have received a setback in this war and stop. But instead, he received de-isolation. He got the photos with President Trump," Zelensky said.

The Ukrainian president called for a more forceful response from European countries and the United States. "[Putin] is waging the war and everyone is trying to stop him by arguing, by asking him. But instead, force should be used. He understands force. That's his language, that's the language he understands," Zelensky said.

His remarks came as Ukrainian officials reported new Russian strikes that killed at least two people and wounded several others. Ivan Fedorov, head of the military administration in the Zaporizhzhia region, said a Russian attack left one person dead and nine wounded, including a child. In the southern Mykolaiv region, Governor Vitaliy Kim reported that Russian troops attacked a farm, killing a tractor driver. Kim described the incident as a "targeted attack on civilians" on the Telegram messaging platform.

Hopes of reaching a truce have diminished since the separate high-profile talks last month between Trump and Putin and between Trump and Zelensky, Ukrainian officials and analysts say. The Alaska meetings have drawn scrutiny for their potential to shift diplomatic dynamics and for the concessions Zelensky alleges were offered to Moscow.

Tensions have increased in Europe after Poland and Romania accused Russia of sending drones into their airspace in operations they say were connected with attacks on Ukraine. Both countries scrambled fighter jets, and Poland temporarily closed part of its border with Belarus. Minsk, a Russian ally, conducted military drills alongside Russian forces. The Kremlin dismissed the incursions as unproven and called one of the incidents a provocation, saying neither Poland nor Romania presented convincing evidence that the drones were Russian.

Zelensky urged Western partners to accelerate and expand measures beyond sanctions to deter further Russian advances, arguing that Moscow responds to military pressure more than diplomatic appeals. He framed the appeal as a practical call for allies to do "more and quicker" to protect Ukrainian civilians and to push back against Russian forces.

Officials on both sides of the conflict continue to report frontline strikes and diplomatic exchanges. Moscow has repeatedly denied targeting civilians intentionally and has characterized NATO and EU moves as provocative, while Kyiv has appealed for deeper security guarantees and heavier weapons from its partners. The situation remains fluid, with military, diplomatic and humanitarian developments unfolding across multiple fronts.