kyiv, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged his supporters Saturday to come out in favor of new US sanctions against Russia, a few hours after the president Donald Trump signed a decree suspending the sweeping restrictions.
The White House’s decision increased fears that Ukraine could be exposed to attacks from Moscow. escalation of attacks as winter approaches.
Russian overnight attacks killed at least four people, including an ambulance driver, and injured dozens, officials said. Ukrainian drones killed a woman in a Russian border region and disrupted flights at Moscow airports, Russian authorities say.
In a statement on social media, Zelensky called Trump’s decision unfortunate but avoided directly criticizing the US leader despite worsening tensions between Ukraine and Washington these last few days.
“Unfortunately, the United States decided to completely ignore the Lindsey Graham Act, which was supposed to put truly effective pressure on Russia to end this war,” Zelensky wrote. “This law could have helped enormously – and still can! But it really has to work, and every voice that supports it counts.”
He separately thanked Democrats and Republicans who supported the legislation, saying blocking it would encourage Russia to continue killing and that limiting Ukraine’s ability to fight back would not bring peace.
“Nevertheless, we very much hope – and I personally hope – that the President of the United States of America will do everything possible to get (Russian President Vladimir) Putin to stop the massacres, stop the attacks on our energy infrastructure and end this war,” he said.
Asked about his contacts with Washington, Zelensky said Ukraine’s top negotiator, Rustem Umerov, met on Friday with US presidential envoy Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law.
Zelensky said the United States was working to arrange a three-way meeting involving him, Trump and Putin, potentially in the Middle East, Europe or the United States.
Critics say Trump’s decision helps Putin
Named for the late South Carolina senator. Lindsey Grahamthe legislation was intended to more quickly quell the flow of financial resources that feed the 4 1/2-year-old Russian child. war against Ukraine. The bill sought to sanction Russian officials, banks and a shadow fleet of oil tankers that transport Russian energy.
Trump personally signed the law last month, and its decision came just two days before the deadline set by the law itself for its implementation. Trump told Congress the pause was in the national interest, but gave no further details.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, co-author of the bill, criticized Trump’s decision, saying the president was turning his back on “the majority of Americans, their representatives in both houses of Congress, and our European allies.”
“These waivers have nothing to do with our national security, and everything to do with subjugating Vladimir Putin,” Blumenthal said.
Trump’s unexpected move comes a week after he agreed to buy diesel from Russia to try to lower global energy prices, even though it could hurt Ukraine. Republicans and Democrats alike claim that the purchase will help Russia carry out its war against Ukraine – without making a difference to global fuel prices, which are high mainly due to Trump’s war against Iran.
Restrictions on Starlink were planned, says Zelenskyy
Zelensky said kyiv was investigating sudden speed restrictions on Ukraine’s use of the Star Shieldthe military version of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, which forms the backbone of drone operations and communications in Ukraine.
The restrictions, imposed without warning early Thursday, cut off the Internet data connection when a communications terminal is moving more than 100 mph (160 km/h). The cap forced Ukrainian drones to fly more slowly than usual, making it easier for Russian weapons to target or evade them.
Zelensky said there were no similar restrictions in European Union countries and that they applied only to Ukraine. “In other words, this is a planned operation,” he said.
We didn’t know who was responsible. Founder and CEO of SpaceX Elon Musk said this week that the U.S. government owns and controls the system, with decisions about its use resting with the U.S. military and, ultimately, the president. The Pentagon did not respond to questions from The Associated Press about the restrictions.
Trump told reporters Friday that he had not ordered restrictions on the system. He also doubted that the disruption came from Musk.
“Well, I don’t know if it was anyone, but it wasn’t me, and I don’t think it was Elon,” Trump said. “And from what I understand, that’s how it’s always been.”
Kyiv announces “massive” energy strike
Moscow carried out a massive strike against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, targeting more than 15 sites across the country, Zelenskyy said.
“The scale and relentless pace of Russian strikes, particularly against our energy sector, are unfortunately having serious consequences,” he said.
Ukraine’s air force said it intercepted all four Russian cruise missiles and most of the 332 attack drones it fired overnight.
Russia’s intense bombing Knocking out the power grid before winter is an annual feature of war, aimed at depleting Ukraine’s fighting appetite by depriving civilians of heat and running water. Ukrainian officials have warned that Russia is stockpiling ballistic missiles in preparation for further attacks in the coming months.
Russian attacks have killed three people in the Ukrainian city of Sloviansk, Vadym Liakh, head of the city’s military administration, said Saturday. A Russian strike also killed an ambulance driver in Ukraine’s Kherson region, the head of the local military administration, Yaroslav Shanko, said. The attack, which used guided bombs, injured at least 33 other people, he said.
Ukrainian drones disrupt Moscow airports
A Russian woman was killed in a Ukrainian drone attack in the Russian border region of Belgorod, local officials said.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said Saturday its forces shot down 610 Ukrainian drones overnight over 15 Russian regions, as well as Ukraine’s annexed Crimea peninsula and the Black Sea.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said more than 100 drones had been shot down as they headed toward the capital. More than 350 flights were canceled or delayed at Moscow airports, local media reported, with planes grounded in response to the arrival of drones.
The Kremlin announced on Saturday that Putin had approved a government program to restore trade and logistics facilities damaged by drone attacks.
Romania shoots down 2 drones over the Black Sea
Romania’s Ministry of National Defense said on Saturday that its pilots had shot down two drones over the country’s territorial waters in the Black Sea.
Two F-16s took off at 5:43 p.m. local time after radar systems “detected a group of aerial targets moving southwest, approximately 120 kilometers east of Snake Island,” the ministry said.
The drones entered the NATO member country’s airspace around 6 p.m. and were shot down a few minutes later.
“The two aerial targets were identified as drones and were shot down over Romanian territorial waters,” the ministry said. He then identified the drones as jet drones and belonging to the “Geran family,” types of drones that Moscow has used in Ukraine.
The incident follows a series of drone attacks on at least seven cargo ships off the Black Sea coast of NATO members Romania and Bulgaria in October.
Dozens of drones have entered Romanian airspace over the past two years, with authorities attributing many of the incursions to Russia. Romania shot down drones for the first time this yearmarking the first such action since Moscow invaded neighboring Ukraine.
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Davies reported from Manchester, England. Associated Press writer Stephen McGrath contributed from Leamington Spa, England.
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Follow AP coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
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