[Key Points]
A senior US official says President Trump decided to deal directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin on energy and sanctions after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky repeatedly declined the requests he was making. The disclosure, first reported by Axios, has reignited debate in Washington and Europe over cracks in transatlantic coordination on Russia.
[Details]
- Source of disclosure: A senior US official, speaking on background, made the comments to Axios, with subsequent White House briefings broadly confirming the direction.
- Core content: Trump concluded that Zelensky had repeatedly rebuffed his requests, and turned to direct dealings with Putin on energy and sanctions instead.
- Kyiv response: The Ukrainian presidential office declined to comment on the disclosure, though Zelensky has publicly criticised US moves that bypass Kyiv and engage Moscow.
- European stance: Several European capitals expressed concern about the disclosure, fearing the US was bypassing the Ukraine-EU coordination framework on Russia.
- What to watch: Cracks in transatlantic coordination on energy, Russia sanctions and Ukraine assistance are likely to widen further over the coming weeks.
Edited by GoodInfo Global News Team