Trump says Kyiv does not want peace; Zelensky says Washington pushes Ukraine to capitulate

US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky escalated their dispute over the Russia-Ukraine war, with Zelensky accusing Washington of pushing Kyiv to capitulate to Russia. The exchange came as Ukraine apologised to Lithuania for a drone that entered its airspace on 18 October.

The clash matters for markets and investors because it touches the pillars of Western support for Ukraine: US intelligence sharing, energy-sanctions policy and the shape of any peace deal. It also coincides with moves on Russian oil that have already affected crude prices.

What happened

Zelensky accused Trump of trying to pressure Kyiv into surrendering to Russia, deepening what was described as a weeklong row between the two leaders. Trump, for his part, said negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war were making "great progress" while accusing Zelensky of missing a better deal two years ago and criticising Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries.

The row sharpened after Ukraine launched one of its biggest drone attacks this year on Russia overnight on Saturday, hitting a key oil terminal in defiance of Trump's demand that it stop hitting Russian energy infrastructure.

What did Kyiv say about the drone in Lithuania?

Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said on 18 October that the incident in Lithuanian airspace may have been caused by Russian electronic warfare aimed at diverting drones during an operation against legitimate military targets in Russia. Kyiv pledged to share all information and prevent similar incidents. The alert led to two Italian Eurofighters on NATO's Air Policing mission being scrambled.

• Russia launched one Iskander-M missile and 180 drones in the past 24 hours, according to the Ukrainian Air Force; 152 drones were intercepted.
• At least 10 civilians were killed and 73 injured, according to local authorities.
• Brent crude futures fell to $108.43 a barrel from a peak of $110 after Trump eased sanctions on Russia.

Why it matters

The dispute matters because Washington's stance shapes Ukraine's war effort, Russian energy flows and the diplomacy around any settlement. Zelensky said on 18 October on NBC's "Meet the Press" that the US had resumed sharing intelligence after suspending it for "a certain period of time", and called siding with Putin a "historic mistake" for the United States.

On energy, oil prices slipped after Trump eased sanctions on Russia, prompting a surge in fuel exports; Zelensky warned such steps would hurt Ukraine, while the US secured a deal to import diesel from Russia. Separately, reports said Ukraine's air defences are strained by Starlink restrictions and dwindling Patriot missile stocks, and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned Zelensky to "be very careful" about claims that the US is throttling Starlink.

Is a wider summit in play?

It is not confirmed and would not include Zelensky. Zelensky has hinted at a possible US-hosted trilateral meeting with Putin during the G20.

What to watch next

The next steps are diplomatic and still unsettled.

• Whether the proposed Putin-Trump-Xi summit is confirmed.
• Whether a trilateral meeting takes place around the G20.
• How Washington responds to Ukraine's strikes on Russian energy infrastructure.
• Further drone incidents in the Baltics, where Kyiv blames Russian signal interference and the Kremlin has denied it.

Zelensky also said on 18 October he would stand in a presidential election if one were held under martial law, while Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha urged the EU to bar Russian combatants and restrict diplomats' movement.