Trump ‘loves’ Putin’s hold on power? Zelensky’s bombshell take on US–Russia ties amid diesel deal

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made a pointed assessment of US President Donald Trump’s relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying Trump openly expresses respect for leaders who remain in power for decades. In an interview with the Financial Times, Zelensky suggested Trump sees long-serving leaders as strong, intensifying scrutiny of Washington’s approach to Moscow. The remarks come amid controversy over a US–Russia diesel deal and Trump’s push for an energy truce between Russia and Ukraine. Zelensky has also criticised continued Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure and warned that Kyiv’s relationship with Washington is under strain. What do his comments reveal about the growing rift between the US and Ukraine?