Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued one of his bluntest public warnings to Washington, telling NBC's Meet the Press in an interview published on Sunday, October 18, that it would be "a historic mistake" if the United States formally aligned itself with Russia. The remarks land at the most strained moment in the US–Ukraine relationship in years — two days after President Donald Trump signed an executive order waiving sweeping sanctions on Russia.
This is a follow-up to our earlier report on the overnight Russia–Ukraine drone and missile exchange, which covered Saturday night's strikes on both sides, including the drone attack on the St. Petersburg oil terminal. Sunday's development is the diplomatic fallout: Zelenskyy's appeal to Trump, new accusations against Washington, and a sanctions waiver that has rattled Kyiv's supporters.
Zelenskyy's NBC Interview: The "Historic Mistake" Warning
On Meet the Press, Zelenskyy walked a tightrope: a sharp warning to Washington, paired with an insistence that he still wants Trump in Ukraine's corner. "We want to trust him, and I hope that he will change his decisions, because I think that it's all mistakes, and it will not help us. And it will not help United States," he said, according to AFP.
Asked directly whether he still considered Trump an ally of Ukraine, Zelenskyy answered: "I hope so." He added that he wanted to trust the US president and hoped he would change his attitude toward Vladimir Putin. "It's better to have partners who are very open and clear than to have those who are killers, even with a smile on their face," he said, CNN reported. The warning was unmistakable all the same: a formal US alignment with Moscow, he said, would be "a historic mistake and a big tragedy."
Blocked Intelligence, Curbed Starlink: The Accusations
The interview's most striking claims were aimed at Washington. Zelenskyy said the United States had blocked intelligence sharing during Russian ballistic missile attacks, leaving Ukraine blind to incoming strikes. "It was blocked for some period of time. And then it was deblocked by the American side. We are very thankful for this. Now it works," he told NBC, according to AFP. "Only (the) United States has this unique intelligence to tell our side when Russia uses ballistic missiles. And we didn't get it during ballistic attacks during three days," he added.
He then turned to Starlink, the SpaceX satellite network Ukraine's military relies on for battlefield communications and drone operations. Zelenskyy said he believed "it was a message from American government to limit the speed. And technically, SpaceX did it." The Trump administration has denied that the service is restricted, CNN reported — a denial that leaves the two sides flatly contradicting each other. Zelenskyy's government previously accused SpaceX of crippling its drone missions; the dispute has now moved from Kyiv's complaints to a presidential accusation on American television.
Trump's Sanctions Waiver and the Diesel Deal
The backdrop is a pair of White House decisions that have infuriated Kyiv. On Friday, Trump signed an executive order waiving sweeping sanctions and tariffs targeting Russia — measures Congress adopted last month, according to AFP. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday the move was a 60-day pause to "analyze" the sanctions' impact on the global economy.
The waiver came after Trump struck an arrangement with Putin allowing Russian diesel exports, intended to ease US fuel prices ahead of next month's midterm elections, AFP reported. CNN separately reported that Trump waived sanctions on imports of Russian diesel and invoked a waiver exempting Russia from sweeping economic penalties mandated by Congress. Zelenskyy called the relief "strengthening (Vladimir) Putin's war against us" and "more support for Russian aggression" — a rationale that has drawn criticism even from Republicans, CNN noted. (Read our earlier analysis of why Trump waived the Russia sanctions.)
A Relationship Under Open Strain
Trump had last week called Kyiv's strikes on Russian oil refineries a "disgrace," CNN reported, and a week earlier claimed Russia and Ukraine had agreed to stop attacking each other's energy infrastructure. Neither Kyiv nor Moscow acknowledged any such agreement. Writing on X on Sunday, Zelenskyy said: "Since the American President announced the energy ceasefire a week ago, Russia has deliberately attacked Ukraine's energy and oil and gas sectors 76 times," CNN reported. The weekend's violence underlines the stakes: Ukraine launched one of its biggest drone attacks on Russia this year overnight Saturday, while 11 people were killed and nearly 50 injured across Ukraine in Russian strikes in the 24 hours to Sunday morning, Ukrainian authorities said.
Why It Matters
Three things make this interview significant. A wartime president publicly accusing the United States of throttling intelligence and satellite access is a serious escalation — the Trump administration's denial means one side is wrong about something both call vital. The 60-day sanctions pause suggests Washington may be rethinking economic pressure on Moscow just as Ukraine says Russia is pounding its energy grid. And the "historic mistake" framing is aimed as much at Congress and American voters as at Trump: Zelenskyy said he still believes Ukraine retains bipartisan support in Washington.
What Happens Next
The immediate test is whether intelligence sharing and Starlink access stay fully restored — Zelenskyy says both are working now, and any fresh interruption will be read in Kyiv as political. Rubio's 60-day sanctions review runs into mid-December; its outcome will show whether the waiver is a pause or a pivot. Ukraine has made clear it will keep striking Russian energy infrastructure regardless of Washington's objections. Whether Trump answers the "historic mistake" warning will set the tone for the winter.
Key Takeaways
- Zelenskyy told NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday it would be "a historic mistake" for the US to formally side with Russia, while saying he hopes Trump stays an ally.
- He claimed the US blocked intelligence sharing for three days during Russian ballistic missile attacks and curbed Starlink speeds; the Trump administration denies restricting Starlink.
- Trump signed an executive order on Friday waiving sweeping Russia sanctions and tariffs; Rubio called it a 60-day pause to study the global economic impact.
- The waiver followed a Trump–Putin arrangement allowing Russian diesel exports to ease US fuel prices ahead of next month's midterms, AFP reported.
- Zelenskyy said Russia attacked Ukraine's energy sector 76 times since Trump announced an energy ceasefire a week ago; neither Kyiv nor Moscow acknowledged that agreement.
- Ukraine launched one of its biggest drone attacks on Russia this year overnight Saturday; Russia says it downed 1,015 drones.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Zelenskyy say on NBC's Meet the Press?
In the interview published Sunday, Zelenskyy warned it would be "a historic mistake" if the US formally sided with Russia. He said he wants to trust Trump and hopes he changes his decisions, calling them "mistakes" that help neither Ukraine nor the US — while accusing Washington of briefly blocking intelligence sharing and curbing Starlink access.
Does Zelenskyy still consider Trump an ally?
Asked directly, Zelenskyy answered: "I hope so," CNN reported. He said Ukraine retains bipartisan support in Washington and hoped Trump would reverse recent decisions. At the same time he warned that formal US alignment with Moscow would be "a historic mistake and a big tragedy."
What are the Starlink and intelligence-sharing claims?
Zelenskyy said the US blocked intelligence sharing "for some period of time," leaving Ukraine without missile warnings for three days, before restoring it. He also said he believed Washington sent "a message" to limit Starlink speeds, which "technically, SpaceX did." The Trump administration has denied restricting the service.
What sanctions did Trump waive on Russia?
On Friday, Trump signed an executive order waiving sweeping sanctions and tariffs on Russia — measures Congress adopted last month, AFP reported — plus sanctions on imports of Russian diesel. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday it was a 60-day pause to "analyze" the sanctions' impact on the global economy.
What is the Trump–Putin diesel arrangement?
AFP reported the sanctions waiver came after Trump struck a deal with Putin allowing Russian diesel exports, intended to ease US fuel prices ahead of next month's midterm elections. Zelenskyy called the relief "strengthening Putin's war against us" and "more support for Russian aggression."
Did Russia and Ukraine agree to an energy ceasefire?
Trump claimed a week ago that both sides had agreed to stop attacking each other's energy infrastructure. Neither Kyiv nor Moscow acknowledged any such agreement, CNN reported. Zelenskyy wrote on X on Sunday that Russia had attacked Ukraine's energy and oil-and-gas sectors 76 times since Trump's announcement.
Sources
- CNN, "Ukraine defies Trump and launches one of its biggest drone attacks on Russia this year" (October 18, 2026) — cnn.com
- Agence France-Presse (via Morning Chronicle), "Zelensky tells NBC 'thankful' US has unblocked intelligence sharing" (October 18, 2026) — morningchronicle.co.uk
- Anadolu Agency, "Zelenskyy warns US siding with Russia would be 'historic mistake'" (October 18, 2026) — aa.com.tr
- Related GlobalDeskNews coverage: Russia and Ukraine Trade Deadly Overnight Drone Strikes; Ukrainian Drones Strike St. Petersburg Oil Terminal, 1 Killed; Why Trump Waived Russia Sanctions Under the Graham Act; Ukraine Accuses SpaceX of Crippling Drone Missions