Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged Ukraine’s supporters to voice their backing for new U.S. sanctions against Russia, after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending the implementation of a broad package of restrictions on the Russian economy.
The White House decision has raised concerns that Ukraine could become more vulnerable to intensified Russian attacks as winter approaches.
Zelensky described Trump’s decision to suspend the sanctions as unfortunate but stopped short of directly criticizing the U.S. president, amid rising tensions between Kyiv and Washington in recent days.
“Unfortunately, a decision was made in America to completely disregard the Lindsey Graham Act, which was intended to exert genuinely effective pressure on Russia to bring this war to an end,” Zelensky wrote.
Nevertheless, the Ukrainian president expressed hope that the sanctions could still be implemented.
“This act could have helped enormously—and it still can! But it must actually be implemented, and every voice raised in support of it matters,” he stated.
Russia Strikes Ukraine’s Energy Infrastructure
Meanwhile, Zelensky announced that Russia had launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, striking more than 15 locations across the country.
“The sheer scale and relentless pace of Russian attacks, particularly against our energy sector, are unfortunately causing serious consequences,” he said.
Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia had launched four cruise missiles and 332 attack drones overnight.
According to the Air Force, all four missiles and 289 drones were intercepted or destroyed.
Russia’s repeated bombardment of Ukraine’s energy network ahead of winter has become a recurring tactic in the war. The attacks aim to disrupt civilians’ access to electricity, heating, and running water, increasing pressure on Ukraine as the war continues.
Ukrainian officials have also warned that Russia is stockpiling ballistic missiles in preparation for further attacks over the coming months.
