Trump Could Force Putin to Negotiate but Hasn’t, Zelensky Says

US President Donald Trump has the leverage to bring Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table but has yet to use it, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

“Trump could very easily bring Putin to the negotiating table, because he has the means to do so. The way he speaks about me – President Trump should speak about Putin in the same way,” Zelensky said in an interview on The Diary of a CEO podcast.

Zelensky pointed to sanctions approved by the US Congress as one tool Trump could use to pressure the Kremlin.

“Sanctions are sitting on his desk. He didn’t vote for them – Congress voted for strong sanctions. He has the power to act,” Zelensky said.

Asked why Trump had not taken such action, Zelensky said he could only speculate about the reasons, including the relationship between Kremlin and US administration leaders and possible economic interests. He said:

“I don’t know why. Perhaps they have a special relationship. Perhaps it’s something else. I can’t say for sure; I don’t know everything. I can only speculate – perhaps there are some economic deals, or something of that nature.”

Zelensky disputes link between Russia and US fuel prices

The podcast host suggested that Trump might be more concerned about domestic energy prices ahead of the US midterm elections than about Ukraine.

Zelensky rejected the idea that American fuel prices depend on how much Russian energy is sold, arguing that the US exports its own energy resources. The president explained:

Other Topics of Interest

Russia’s New Filin Missile Uses US, Chinese Electronics

Ukrainian intelligence has detailed Russia’s new Filin cruise missile, identifying foreign electronics in a weapon with a claimed range of 1,200 kilometers.

“I can tell you with 100% certainty that diesel prices do not depend on the volumes Russia sells. They don’t. The Americans export energy resources. There is no ban on American energy exports; it is American companies that are doing the exporting.”

Zelensky added that he saw little reason for Trump to restrict private companies’ energy exports when those businesses were making money from them.

“And why would he do that, when ‘it sells, and the money keeps coming in?’” Zelensky said.

He also expressed confidence that the truth about the war and the decisions surrounding it would eventually emerge. Zelensky said:

“All secrets, all mysteries eventually come to light. It just takes time. Time is definitely on the side of those who are open and ready for an honest dialogue and a struggle. This means that time will be on our side.”

Zelensky says Putin chose when to launch full-scale invasion

The host also asked Zelensky about Trump’s repeated claims that Russia would not have launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine had Trump been president at the time. Zelensky replied:

“To be honest, no one knows the answer. The fact remains: this happened during Biden’s presidency. That is a fact. It is also a fact that it did not happen under Trump. But it is equally a fact that it was Putin who chose the moment for a full-scale occupation.”

He acknowledged that Trump’s relationship with Putin might have influenced the Russian leader’s decision-making, but argued that personal ties between presidents would not resolve the underlying threat to Ukraine.

Zelensky said Putin would continue pursuing his goal of occupying Ukraine regardless of who held the US presidency:

“Neither I nor Trump will hold the presidency forever. Sooner or later, Trump’s presidency would have come to an end, and Putin still would not have abandoned his primary objective – the occupation of Ukraine.

“Therefore, frankly speaking, it does not matter who exactly is president, as long as Putin remains in power.”

Zelensky warns territorial concessions could expose more of Ukraine

Zelensky warned that surrendering Sloviansk and Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region could open the way for further Russian advances toward Dnipropetrovsk region, including Pavlohrad and Dnipro.

He described the area as a key industrial and machine-building hub that supports Ukraine’s economy and said its defenses had been heavily fortified. Zelensky said:

“If we surrender these cities of ours to them, the risk is enormous. If he decides to push further, he could capture a vast number of our cities. The risk is real. There are no guarantees.”

He also questioned what security guarantees could mean if Ukraine were required to withdraw from additional territory to meet Russia’s demands.

“While everyone is talking about security guarantees and we are open to such talks – the Russians, for their part, want us to withdraw even further,” he said. “If we withdraw, where are the security guarantees? Not to mention the fact that it would be unjust.”

Zelensky estimated that Russia currently controls approximately 18-19% of Ukrainian territory. He also said Moscow presents different maps to its domestic audience and continues to pursue territorial objectives beyond the areas it currently occupies.

According to Zelensky, Russia wants to capture the city of Zaporizhzhia but has been unable to do so. He added that Zaporizhzhia and Mykolaiv remain Russian targets, even if Moscow does not explicitly acknowledge those ambitions.

He also pointed to the situation in Kherson, where the Dnipro River divides the city, with Ukrainian-held territory on one bank and Russian forces on the other. The positions allow Russian troops to shell the city, he said.

Zelensky calls ceasefire Ukraine’s biggest compromise

Zelensky said Trump had repeatedly urged both sides to seek a compromise, but argued that Ukraine was already making a significant concession by agreeing to stop fighting along the current front line.

“The biggest compromise we are already making is a ceasefire. Let’s just stop this war,” he said.

Zelensky added that he had repeatedly urged Trump to understand the scale of the concession Ukraine was prepared to make by agreeing to halt the fighting without first resolving every territorial issue. Zelensky stated:

“I have tried to tell the US President many times: just understand us. It is a huge compromise – simply holding the lines where they are right now.”