Donald Trump has accused Volodymyr Zelensky of being “far more difficult to make a deal with” than Vladimir Putin, not long after Kyiv was bombarded in Russia's latest major aerial attack.
Trump was speaking after European leaders roundly criticised his decision to ease oil sanctions on Moscow, but appeared to sidestep questions about that reaction and instead blamed Zelensky for not making a deal.
He told NBC News: "I’m surprised that Zelensky doesn’t want to make a deal. Tell Zelensky to make a deal because Putin’s willing to make a deal."
The death toll in a barrage of drone and missile strikes since Saturday has soared to six after Zelensky blamed the Russian military for targeting civilian infrastructure and exploiting the war in the Middle East to cause more destruction in Ukraine.
Zelensky said Russia was also "100%" supplying Iran with Shahed-type drones to use against the US and Israel.
Recommended
How Trump’s bid to cut oil prices will fill Russia’s war chest with billions
Putin ‘offered to move Iran’s uranium to Russia’ to end war against Tehran. Trump rejected it
Oil prices hit $103 per barrel despite Trump easing some Russian sanctions- Trump admits that Putin could be helping Iran despite what his envoy claimed
How Trump’s bid to cut oil prices will fill Russia’s war chest with billions
Russia could earn more than $10bn (£7.8bn) in additional oil and gas revenues to help fuel its war on Ukraine – thanks to Donald Trump, experts warn.
The US president lifted restrictions on countries buying Russian crude stranded at sea, after the closure of the key shipping route, the Strait of Hormuz, due to the Iran war he started, sent prices soaring. A fifth of the world’s oil supply passes through the strait.
US treasury secretary Scott Bessent claimed the 30-day waiver would “not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government”.
He said the “tailored, short-term” move would only provide Moscow with a limited financial boost from oil sales, adding that it would address the “instability posed by the terrorist Iranian regime”.
How Trump’s bid to cut oil prices will fill Russia’s war chest with billions
Russia is set to earn up to two-thirds more a month from its oil and gas revenue than it did in February, experts say, potentially wiping out months of losses in a matter of weeks. Stuti Mishra reportsShweta Sharma15 March 2026 06:30
Trump says Zelensky 'far more difficult to make a deal with' than Putin
Donald Trump criticised Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday, saying the Ukrainian leader was “far more difficult to make a deal with” than Vladimir Putin in efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
Speaking in a phone interview, Trump said he was surprised Zelensky was reluctant to reach an agreement.
Trump appeared to sidestep criticism from some global leaders over the US decision to ease sanctions on Russian oil, instead directing his remarks at Zelensky.
“Tell Zelensky to make a deal because Putin’s willing to make a deal,” he said.
Shweta Sharma15 March 2026 05:50
Trump says oil sanctions to be reinstated once the Iran war is over
Donald Trump said oil sanctions temporarily eased against Russia will be reinstated once the crisis linked to the war with Iran ends after European leaders criticised the move.
In an interview with NBC News, Trump said the decision to loosen restrictions on Russian oil was aimed at stabilising global supplies as tensions rise in the Middle East.
“I want to have oil for the world. I want to have oil,” Trump said, referring to concerns over disruptions as Iran threatens tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump did not say whether the licence would be extended beyond its current expiry date of 11 April if the conflict continues.
The move follows an earlier waiver allowing India to buy Russian crude already loaded on tankers to offset supply disruptions from the Middle East.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that lifting sanctions would be a “serious blow” to Ukraine and damage international credibility, arguing that the measures are intended to limit Russia’s ability to finance the war.
Shweta Sharma15 March 2026 05:40
Six people killed in Ukraine as Russia launched massive missile and drones strike
Russia launched a massive missile and drone strike on Ukraine on Saturday, killing six people and inflicting damage across several regions of the country, Ukrainian officials said.
Five of the dead were in Kyiv region outside the capital, where president Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces targeted energy infrastructure, but also damaged residential buildings, schools and businesses. Fifteen people were injured.
Zelensky said the Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipro and Mykolaiv regions were also targeted in an attack that included around 430 drones and 68 missiles, most of which were downed by air defences.
Later in the day, the governor of the southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia, Ivan Fedorov, said the residential area of the city of Zaporizhzhia had been hit by Russian-guided bombs, killing one person and injuring three.
Shweta Sharma15 March 2026 05:15
Russia is supplying Iran with Shahed drones, Zelensky says
Russia is sending Shahed drones to Iran to be used in the war against the US and Israel, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky told CNN.
Zelensky told CNN's Fareed Zakaria that it is “100% fact” that Iran has used Russian-made Shaheds to attack US bases.
Shahed drones have also been linked to other attacks in the region, although their manufacturers are not always clear.
Iran pioneered the Shahed drone, a much cheaper alternative to expensive missiles. They were first used extensively during Russia's invasion of Ukraine, where thousands have been launched by Russian forces since fall 2022, according to Ukrainian sources.
Although Iran initially provided the drones, Russia now manufactures its own Shaheds. Armed forces of other countries have since adopted Shahed-type drones, including the US military, which has said they are part of the current campaign against Iran.
Shweta Sharma15 March 2026 04:43
US postpones Ukraine-Russia talks due to Middle East war
The US has postponed its sponsored talks planned this week between Ukraine and Russia due to the war in the Middle East.
As US and Israeli missiles and bombs rain on Iran, Russia is already profiting from a surge in global energy prices. Vladimir Putin may also hope that the conflict will detract attention from Ukraine, deplete Western arsenals and force NATO allies to reduce military support for Kyiv.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday has on Kyiv's Western partners to pay "one hundred percent attention" to the need to boost the production of air defense missiles.
"Russia will try to exploit the war in the Middle East to cause even greater destruction here in Europe, in Ukraine," he said in a post on social media.
"We must be fully aware of the real level of the threat and prepare accordingly, namely: in Europe, we need to develop the production of air defense missiles — especially those capable of countering ballistic threats — as well as all other systems necessary to truly protect lives.”
Zekensky says Ukraine hit with 430 drones and nearly 70 missiles
Volodymyr Zelensky said Russians launched around 430 drones of various types and a significant number of missiles overnight.
There were 13 ballistic missiles alone, and the total number of missiles in this attack was 68, he said on X.
Ukrainian emergency crews were undertaking operations to tackle massive Russian attacks in Kyiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipro, and Mykolaiv regions.
“The main target for the Russians was the energy infrastructure of the Kyiv region, but unfortunately, there were also direct hits on and damage to ordinary residential buildings, schools, and civilian businesses,” he said.
“As of now, four people have been reported killed. My condolences to their families and loved ones. Many people have been injured, and some are still seeking medical assistance.”
Zelensky says Russia is exploiting war in Middle East to intensify attacks
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia could try to exploit the war in the Middle East to intensify attacks on Ukraine and urged faster implementation of agreements to boost air defence.
In remarks on Saturday, Zelensky said all agreements on missile supplies must be implemented as quickly as possible, stressing that expanding the production of air defence missiles was a critical priority.
“Russia will try to exploit the war in the Middle East to cause even greater destruction here in Europe, in Ukraine,” he said.
Zelensky called for Europe to accelerate the production of air defence missiles, particularly systems capable of intercepting ballistic threats, as well as other defence technologies needed to protect civilians.
He said Europe was capable of ensuring a reliable level of protection if it moved quickly to strengthen its defence production.
Trump rejects Ukraine's help with drones
US president Donald Trump said the United States does not need help with drone defence when asked whether Ukraine was helping providing such assistance.
Trump made the comments in an interview on Fox News Radio's "The Brian Kilmeade Show" that aired on Friday.
Team of Ukraine experts were sent to Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia earlier this week to give advice on how to combat drones, given their experience during the war with Russia.
Zelensky said his country had “the greatest experience in the world in countering attack drones”.
Recap: Four dead in Kyiv region after Russian attack
A combined Russian missile and drone attack on the Kyiv region killed at least four people and wounded 15, a Ukrainian official said Saturday, after the United States postponed Russia-Ukraine talks due to the war with Iran.
The attack hit four districts, damaging residential buildings, educational institutions, enterprises and critical infrastructure, the head of the regional administration, Mykola Kalashnyk, wrote in a social media post.
He said three of the wounded were in critical condition.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the main target of the strikes was the energy infrastructure of the Kyiv region.
He said Russia launched around 430 drones and 68 missiles.Russia's defence ministry on Saturday said the nighttime strikes targeted energy and industrial facilities serving Ukraine's armed forces, as well as military airfields.
Tom Barnes14 March 2026 22:40NewerOlder