Zelenskyy urges Trump to lift hold on Russia sanctions
Ukraine's president criticized the U.S. pause on new sanctions, warning it would encourage continued Russian assault.
What happened
President Zelenskyy responded to Trump's decision to pause new sanctions on Russia by describing the move as unfortunate. Zelenskyy stated the pause would encourage Russia to continue its military assault on Ukraine. Trump told Congress the pause was in the national interest but provided no additional explanation for the decision.
Context
The freeze on sanctions represents a shift in U.S. policy toward Russia and Ukraine at a critical moment in the conflict. Zelenskyy's public criticism signals disagreement between the Ukrainian leadership and the new U.S. administration over the strategy for pressuring Russia, suggesting tension over how sanctions should be deployed as a policy tool.
What's disputed
Trump's rationale for the sanctions pause—described only as being in the national interest—is not detailed in the source, leaving his specific reasoning unexplained.