{
  "id": 14832011,
  "title": "'I'm not a big fan of Zelensky,' Trump says as US-Ukraine tensions deepen",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/im-not-a-big-fan-of-zelensky-trump-says-as-us-ukraine-tensions-deepen",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-16T01:05:56.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Kyiv Independent",
    "slug": "kyiv-independent",
    "url": "https://kyivindependent.com/im-not-a-big-fan-of-zelensky-trump-says-as-us-ukraine-tensions-deepen-2/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with President Volodymyr Zelensky during an interview with Newsmax, calling Zelensky \"not a good guy for (the U.S.) to deal with.\" Trump claimed that Zelensky is not interested in ending the Russia-Ukraine war and that he wants the conflict to be resolved, yet he does not take any steps towards that goal. Trump expressed his dislike for Zelensky, stating that the Ukrainian president has destroyed his country.\n\nThe comments came after Zelensky lifted restrictions on strikes against Russian oil refineries following continued strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. The tension between the two leaders has been deepening, with Trump previously blaming Ukrainian strikes for rising global fuel prices, a claim that experts disagree with, and threatening to cut off intelligence support and arms shipments unless Kyiv halted the attacks.\n\nIn a surprising move, Washington unveiled a deal allowing Russia to export diesel fuel to the U.S. and other markets despite sanctions imposed due to the invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian officials were caught off guard by Trump's unilateral announcement of an energy truce between Russia and Ukraine on October 11. Despite Kyiv backing the truce and pausing its strikes against Russian refineries, Russia has continued attacking the Ukrainian power grid, with no criticism from Trump.\n\nZelensky dismissed Trump's latest comments, stating that he does not feel betrayed but acknowledges that the situation is more complicated than just his emotions. Ukraine's president has yet to respond to Trump's recent comments. The ongoing rift follows months of failed negotiations for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, with Russia continuing to target Ukrainian energy infrastructure ahead of the winter months.",
  "summary": "U.S. President Donald Trump criticized President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with Newsmax published on Oct. 15, describing the Ukrainian president as \"not a good guy for (the U.S.) to deal with.\"",
  "key_points": [
    "Trump calls Zelensky \"not a good guy\" for Ukraine-U.S. relations",
    "Zelensky lifts strike restrictions on Russian oil refineries",
    "U.S. and Russia agree on temporary diesel fuel export deal"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Trump's personal friction with Zelensky and his unilateral energy truce signal a fundamental shift in American support that prioritizes global fuel stability over traditional Ukrainian military objectives.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}