In a candid interview with Sky News on September 16, 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a stark warning to Western leaders: Russian President Vladimir Putin is actively seeking to deceive both Donald Trump and the United States in a bid to evade further sanctions and break free from international isolation. The comments come in the wake of a high-profile summit between Putin and Trump, held last month in Anchorage, Alaska—a meeting that Zelenskyy believes handed significant advantages to the Russian leader without extracting meaningful concessions in return.
Speaking from the Presidential Palace in Kyiv, Zelenskyy was direct in his assessment. “I think it gave a lot to Putin,” he said, referring to the Alaska summit. He argued that if Ukraine had been included in the talks, making it a trilateral meeting, there might have been a substantive outcome. “If it had been a trilateral meeting, we would have had some result.” Instead, he lamented, the summit became an opportunity for Putin to “get out of political isolation,” a move that Zelenskyy insists should have come at a much higher cost for Moscow.
According to Sky News and corroborated by several European outlets, the summit discussions were fraught with controversial proposals. Putin is reported to have told Trump that he wanted the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions, offering in exchange to relinquish control of other Ukrainian territories currently occupied by Russian forces. Later, Putin expanded his demands, suggesting that all of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions be formally recognized as part of Russia. Trump, for his part, expressed disappointment with these positions and subsequently renewed threats of serious sanctions against Russia. He also called on NATO countries to stop purchasing Russian oil as a means to pressure Moscow into ending the war.
Zelenskyy did not mince words regarding Putin’s intentions. When asked if the Russian president was trying to deceive Trump and the US, he replied emphatically, “[Putin] definitely wants to deceive the United States. He’s doing everything he can to avoid sanctions.” He cautioned that any delay in implementing new sanctions would only serve to strengthen Russia’s hand. “If you continue to delay the implementation of sanctions, the Russians will be better prepared,” he warned.
For Zelenskyy, the Alaska summit represented a missed opportunity for the international community to hold Putin accountable. Instead of facing setbacks for his ongoing war in Ukraine, Zelenskyy argued, Putin walked away with tangible diplomatic gains. “He received de-isolation. He got the photos with President Trump. He got public dialogue,” Zelenskyy said. “This opens the doors for Putin to other summits and formats.” The Ukrainian leader stressed that such opportunities for public dialogue and legitimacy should not be granted without significant concessions from Moscow, especially given what he described as Russia’s continued aggression.
Indeed, the situation on the ground remains volatile. Russian strikes on Ukrainian territory have persisted, and recent days have seen incursions into the airspace of neighboring Poland and Romania—developments that have heightened tensions across Eastern Europe. A proposed summit between Zelenskyy and Putin has yet to materialize, further underscoring the diplomatic impasse.
Zelenskyy’s message to the West was unequivocal: forceful action is required to deter further Russian aggression. “He is waging a war, and everyone is trying to stop him, arguing, asking him questions, but instead, force should be used. He understands force. This is his language. This is the language he understands,” Zelenskyy asserted. He went on to urge European and US leaders to step up their efforts, particularly when it comes to sanctions. “Yes, they take some steps, such as sanctions, for example, but more needs to be done, quicker.”
The Ukrainian president’s remarks reflect a broader frustration among Kyiv’s allies regarding the pace and scope of Western responses to the ongoing conflict. In the days following the Alaska summit, Trump outlined the conditions under which he would support “serious sanctions” against Russia, specifically highlighting the need to halt the purchase of Russian oil. Meanwhile, Congressional leaders in Washington, including Speaker Johnson, have signaled a strong appetite for new sanctions, though they acknowledge that meaningful action depends on Trump’s endorsement. Secretary Rubio added that Trump wants European countries to match the level of sanctions expected from the United States, pointing to a need for greater transatlantic coordination.
Putin’s own rhetoric has remained defiant. In early September, he declared that any foreign troops deployed on Ukrainian territory—regardless of their legal status—would be considered legitimate targets for Russian military strikes. This uncompromising stance has only added urgency to Zelenskyy’s calls for a united and robust Western response.
Despite the diplomatic setbacks, Zelenskyy continues to press for accountability. “Putin must pay, firstly, because he started the war and secondly, because he is trying to find a way out of isolation,” he insisted. The Ukrainian leader’s plea is not just for punitive measures, but for a principled stand against what he views as a dangerous precedent: allowing an aggressor state to leverage international summits for its own rehabilitation without meaningful consequences.
As the war drags on, the stakes for Ukraine—and for broader European security—remain high. Zelenskyy’s interview served as both a warning and a rallying cry. “It is very important not to give Putin this space; otherwise, he will not feel that he has to stop the war,” he cautioned. “He doesn’t speak many languages, but the language of force he understands, just like Russian, his mother tongue.”
With Russian forces entrenched in eastern Ukraine and diplomatic avenues narrowing, the coming weeks will test the resolve of Western leaders. Will they heed Zelenskyy’s call for stronger, swifter action, or will the window for meaningful intervention close further? For now, the Ukrainian president remains adamant: only a united front and decisive measures can check Putin’s ambitions and restore a sense of justice for Ukraine.