Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that former US President Donald Trump could influence Russian leader Putin. 

He shared this perspective in an interview with the American channel Newsmax. 

Zelensky: Putin is not interested in ending the war in Ukraine

Zelensky is convinced that Putin has no intention of peacefully resolving the conflict in Ukraine.

However, he believes that sanctions and pressure could affect the situation. 

«No one has been able to stop Putin. Only Trump might be able to do it, but for that, Putin needs to start losing money. Only then can he not expand his military power», - said Zelensky. 

According to the president, the current US-Russia dialogue resembles a «tentative conversation». 

«Let's be honest: this will not stop Putin. A more decisive tone is needed. Putin must clearly understand that America stands with Ukraine, particularly through sanctions and military support», - emphasized the Ukrainian leader. 

He stressed that any signals to reduce assistance or attempts to equate Ukraine and Russia are fundamentally unfair, as Russia is the aggressor. 

Zelensky called for increased sanctions against Russia

The president described sanctions as a powerful tool. 

«If we can close the loopholes for evading sanctions, Russia will not receive components for missiles, including ballistic ones. Sanctions are not just about money. They are also about stopping the flow of deadly technologies that enable Russia to produce this terrible weapon in such quantities», - he explained. 

Zelensky added that it is crucial for sanctions to extend to the banking sector, shadow fleets, and oil prices. 

«Limiting oil prices is critically important, as oil is the main source of their income. Due to the current situation in the Middle East, oil prices have already surged, directly impacting Europe’s security», - concluded Zelensky.