U.S. President Donald Trump says he is delaying new Russia sanctions, argues Zelenskyy could have made a better deal two years ago

U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday that he is holding off on additional measures against Russia because he does not want to push Moscow away from negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.

“My decision on Russia is a very simple one,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on October 18. “I am in the process of negotiating Peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine, and don’t want to do anything that will drive, foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table.”

Trump said “great progress” was being made, including in ongoing hostage negotiations, and said the document under consideration could be signed later if necessary. He did not provide further details about the negotiations.

He also said Russia was doing “very little, if anything” to help Iran compared with what Moscow could be doing and said he wanted to preserve that situation.

Trump then criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries, saying they were disrupting global diesel markets and hurting U.S. farmers, ranchers and businesses. He said Russia was nevertheless sending millions of barrels of diesel to world markets at low prices.

Trump said Zelenskyy “doesn’t want to end this war, and probably never did,” citing the financial support Ukraine has received from Europe and the previous Biden administration.

“He could have made a better deal two years ago than he can now,” Trump said. “His country is in shambles, a large portion of his land is lost,” adding that Ukraine’s male population had been depleted by death and injuries during the war.

Trump also wrote that Ukraine’s “oceans and seas are gone.” Ukraine has lost control of parts of its coastline since Russia’s invasions but continues to control Black Sea ports including Odesa and retains access to the Black Sea.

“I WANT THIS WAR END!” Trump concluded.

The remarks came after Trump used his authority under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act to delay enforcement of major new sanctions and tariffs. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the administration could take up to 60 days to assess their economic impact before deciding whether to impose them.