Trump’s pause on Russia sanctions will intensify war in Ukraine, Zelenskyy warns

Ukrainian president calls the move a ‘reward’ for Vladimir Putin as Russia strikes country’s power plants

• Power plant attacks reflect Russian blueprint to make Ukrainian cities unlivable

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that Donald Trump’s decision to roll back sanctions on Russia will intensify the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine, as Moscow launched one of its worst strikes yet on Ukraine’s power plants in an attempt to black out the country’s cities before winter.

The Ukrainian president also said he expected the Trump administration to lift more sanctions against Russia in the future and called for Europe to establish its own negotiations with Moscow as the US has sought better ties and business deals with the Kremlin.