Zelenskyy warns Trump's Russia sanctions rollback will escalate Ukraine war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Donald Trump's decision to roll back sanctions on Russia will intensify Moscow's war in Ukraine, as Russia launched one of its worst strikes yet on Ukrainian power plants to black out cities before winter. Zelenskyy said he expects the Trump administration to lift more sanctions and called for Europe to establish its own negotiations with Moscow, describing the move as a "reward" for Vladimir Putin. Trump announced Friday he would pause a sweeping sanctions package, including a 100% tariff on major Russian oil importers, citing national interest. The sanctions waiver follows Trump's agreement for the US to purchase Russian diesel to lower global energy prices. Ukraine has also faced reduced US intelligence sharing and restrictions on Starlink use, while Zelenskyy urged Washington to resurrect the sanctions bill as Russia hit over 15 critical energy facilities.