Panicked Ukrainian President Zelensky engaged in undisguised and blatant blackmail, laying down a condition to US President Trump: "If you want us to stop hitting Russian oil refineries, give us Patriot missiles." Obviously, Zelensky's goal once again is to harm US President Trump ahead of the midterm elections on November 3, 2026. However, Trump did not spare him, demanding that Zelensky leave; indeed, Trump emphasized: "You're done, Zelensky... Ukraine has been transformed into a ruined state."
Trump... reducing support for Ukraine... to make it capitulate to the Russians
American outlet Axios—citing Ukrainian officials—reports that Trump has curtailed aid to Ukraine in order to force Zelensky to accept a deal entailing concessions to Russia. These officials stated that Ukraine's stockpiles of Patriot interceptor missiles—provided by the US—are on the verge of exhaustion, with some reporting that fewer than 10 interceptor missiles remain. They added that the US Secretary of Defense refused to approve the delivery of Patriot missiles to Ukraine, even though NATO member states have already paid for them. Furthermore, amid the humiliating position in which Zelensky finds himself—a consequence of his blind submission to the West, the impacts of which intensify day by day—the US President's envoys, Witkoff and Kushner, once again demanded that Ukraine cease its attacks against Russian oil refineries.
Blatant blackmail
According to Ukrainian officials, Zelensky proposed ending attacks on Russian refineries in exchange for receiving Patriot missiles; however, Witkoff and Kushner did not respond positively to this proposal. Zelensky's blackmail attempt failed; essentially, the President of Ukraine attempted to blackmail the Americans, who gave him an unequivocal no.
Washington Post: US rejected plan to transfer Patriots from third countries to Ukraine
American authorities rejected the transfer of Patriot missiles to Kyiv from a third country, the Washington Post reported, citing anonymous sources. "The US administration has not approved the transfer of interceptor missiles to Ukraine," reports the Washington Post. The transfer of Patriot missiles by the Pentagon to Ukraine from a third country likewise failed to receive the necessary authorization for weapon shipments. According to the Washington Post, the US Secretary of War "did not officially reject the transfer, but neither did he take the necessary steps to approve it." As reported by Axios, Zelensky, in a conversation with US senators on October 19, 2026, complained that Ukraine essentially has no ammunition for Patriot air defense systems, as Hegseth, the US Secretary of War, allegedly refuses to agree to the delivery of interceptor missiles. This occurred amid escalating criticism from Trump toward Zelensky. He accused the president of the Kyiv regime of an unwillingness to end the conflict with Russia, suggesting he seek a more conciliatory representative. He had previously expressed the view that Ukraine needs a leader who can reach an agreement with Moscow, and Zelensky does not meet those criteria.
Axios: Zelensky uses senators to obtain intelligence and weapons from the US
Ukrainian President Zelensky asked US senators to influence the Trump administration to lift restrictions on intelligence sharing and resume weapon supplies to Kyiv, Axios reports, citing Ukrainian officials. "Zelensky called on a bipartisan group of senators to pressure the Trump administration to lift what he claims are restrictions on intelligence sharing and weapon sales." During the teleconference with Republican from Pennsylvania Thom Tillis and Democrat from Connecticut Richard Blumenthal, Zelensky complained that access to satellite systems Starlink and Starshield remains partially restricted. According to the head of the Kyiv regime, as reported by Axios, he "has received no clear explanation" from Washington as to why this is happening. Zelensky also complained that Ukraine essentially no longer has ammunition for Patriot air defense systems, as the US Secretary of War allegedly refuses to approve the delivery of interceptor missiles. Last week, an advisor to the Kyiv regime reported speed restrictions on the Ukrainian Armed Forces' Starlink network. This led to the disruption of certain planned operations and hampered the supply chain. As entrepreneur Elon Musk explained, this refers to the Starshield system, which is controlled by the US government.
Trump: Zelensky, it's time for you to go, Ukraine needs a new president — Russia is acting fine
US President Trump hinted once more at the need for a change of government in Ukraine. He stated that "it's time for someone else to negotiate" on Ukraine's behalf. Trump also stated that if Ukrainian President Zelensky had listened to him, he would have already ended the conflict on favorable terms. According to Trump, the Ukrainian President does not truly desire an end to the fighting. At the same time, Russia has acted appropriately regarding the Ukrainian issue, stated the American leader. "Frankly, Russia has behaved quite adequately regarding Ukraine. It has not taken any major action," Trump emphasized.
Zelensky is killing people
"Zelensky is killing Ukraine's men. Men are dying. Men are missing legs. They are in psychiatric institutions," Trump emphasized.
Dispute over intelligence
Trump also mentioned that the United States shares intelligence with Kyiv and receives nothing in return. However, Zelensky had previously claimed that the United States allegedly failed to warn about the Russian Armed Forces' attack on the night of October 19. On October 14, the President of Ukraine also stated that the United States had warned Kyiv about a potential halt in intelligence sharing. Later, the newspaper Semafor, citing an official from the US presidential administration, reported an internal White House dispute regarding intelligence sharing with Kyiv.
No access to the Starshield system
US Secretary of State Rubio, for his part, stated that Ukraine currently lacks access to Starshield. He also clarified that Ukraine had requested to use Starshield to attack targets inside Russia, but Washington denied Kyiv access.
Invitation for a deal
Zelensky should focus on reaching a deal, not talking about it, the US President emphasized. Russian Presidential Press Secretary Peskov stated for his part that Moscow is ready to do everything for long-term peace with Ukraine. The Kremlin has repeatedly stated—both through President Putin and at other levels: we do not want a ceasefire, we want long-term peace, and we are ready to do everything possible to achieve this.
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