‘It doesn’t always need to be said out loud’: European leaders to ask Zelensky to tone down criticism of Trump, FT reports

European Union leaders are reportedly planning to ask Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to tone down his public criticism of former U.S. President Donald Trump, according to the Financial Times. The EU worries that Zelensky's increasingly harsh remarks about Trump could further damage the already strained relations between Washington and Kyiv.

"It might be true, but it doesn't always need to be said out loud," a FT source said. In an interview with the Financial Times, Zelensky criticized Trump's decision to sell diesel to Russia, denounced the U.S. move to cease sharing intelligence, and stated that Trump openly admires and respects autocrats and wealthy individuals.

Despite Ukraine halting strikes on oil refineries, Zelensky reported receiving no warnings from Washington about Russian ballistic missile attacks, attributing the lack of alerts to a lack of U.S. concern rather than a technical issue.