Maintaining sanctions against Russia and supplying Ukraine with more effective missiles are the two actions that could increase pressure on Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in an interview with CNN.
“Do not lift the sanctions against Putin and give us better missiles,” Zelensky said, indicating what kind of support Kyiv expects from its allies. According to him, these measures are necessary to prevent the Russian president’s position from being strengthened during the war.
Sanctions and military aid
Zelensky said that lifting the sanctions would make Putin stronger and would not help end the hostilities. The Ukrainian president insists that the restrictions should remain in force until Moscow ends the war and takes concrete steps toward peace.
His second main point concerns air defense. Zelensky warned that Ukraine is experiencing a shortage of missiles for intercepting ballistic targets. According to him, Ukrainian forces sometimes receive a warning of an impending attack but do not have sufficient means to shoot down the missile.
The statement was made against the backdrop of Russian ballistic strikes on Kyiv. In the interview, Zelensky said that Russia continues to attack Ukrainian cities despite diplomatic efforts to resume negotiations.
“This is not personal”
The Ukrainian president also commented on his relationship with US President Donald Trump. He said that the differences between Kyiv and Washington were not related to a personal conflict, but to an assessment of the actions that could influence Moscow.
Zelensky warned that concessions to Russia without reciprocal commitments could prolong the war. In his view, pressure on Putin must be political, economic and military at the same time.
The statement came at a time when the United States is mediating new contacts between Ukraine and Russia. On November 10, 2026, the two countries held talks in Abu Dhabi with US mediation, and two days later American representatives met with Putin in Moscow and with Zelensky in Dublin. No concrete agreement to end the war was announced.
Sources: obozrevatel.com, prod.transcripts.cnn.com, apnews.com