Zelenskyy Says Trump’s Russia Deal Feels Like Betrayal

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he felt betrayed by U.S. President Donald Trump over a deal to supply the United States with Russian diesel, while warning that disruptions to Starlink communications could put Ukrainian lives at risk. In an interview with Piers Morgan released October 14, Zelenskyy said the issue went beyond his personal feelings. He criticized Trump for appearing to take Russia’s side and said Ukraine still counted on its partnership with the United States. The remarks followed Trump’s announcement of the diesel deal and his criticism of Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure. Zelenskyy also said Ukraine had asked for Starlink service to be restored. Ukrainian forces use the satellite internet system, operated by SpaceX, for battlefield communications. He warned that continued disruption could cost lives, but said he did not know whether the problem was deliberate and allowed that it could stem from a major technical failure. The cause and extent of the service problem were not established in the supplied accounts.