KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed optimism on Sunday, October 12, 2025, that U.S. President Donald Trump's recent success in brokering a ceasefire in Gaza could pave the way for a similar diplomatic breakthrough to end Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In an interview with Fox News, Zelenskyy described the Gaza deal as a source of "hope," urging Trump to apply even greater pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt the conflict that has ravaged Ukraine for over three years.
"Of course, it gives signals for us, and hope that with such pressure, what President Trump used in the Middle East to make peace, and I hope that he will use the same instrument – even more – to pressure Putin to stop his war in Ukraine," Zelenskyy said. The comments mark a notable warming in relations between the two leaders, who have had a tumultuous history since Trump's first term, including a 2019 impeachment scandal tied to Ukraine aid.
Zelenskyy's remarks come amid two "very productive" phone calls with Trump over the weekend, the second of which occurred on Sunday and focused on bolstering Ukraine's defenses against ongoing Russian assaults. The first call, on Saturday, October 11, was described by Zelenskyy as "very positive," with discussions centering on Ukraine's urgent military needs, including long-range strike capabilities. A White House official confirmed the conversations to CBS News but provided no further details, noting only that they built on recent diplomatic momentum.
The Gaza ceasefire, announced by Trump on Wednesday, October 8, as the "first phase" of a broader agreement between Israel and Hamas, has been hailed by Zelenskyy as an "outstanding achievement." The deal, mediated through Egyptian and Qatari negotiators, includes the release of 10 hostages and the bodies of 18 others held in Gaza since the October 7, 2023, attacks, alongside a 60-day pause in hostilities and provisions for increased humanitarian aid. Trump, who met with Putin in August 2025 without securing Ukraine progress, has positioned the Middle East breakthrough as proof of his deal-making prowess, prompting Zelenskyy to draw explicit parallels.
"If a war can be stopped in one region, then surely other wars can be stopped as well – including the Russian war," Zelenskyy posted on Facebook following the Saturday call. He even floated nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize earlier in the week if a Ukraine ceasefire materializes, a gesture that underscores Kyiv's desperation for U.S. leadership amid war fatigue in the West.
Central to Zelenskyy's appeal was a renewed push for secondary sanctions on Russia—measures targeting third-party entities that facilitate Moscow's evasion of existing penalties. "The secondary sanctions are very painful for Russia. Everybody understands it. It depends on President Trump's will ... and I'm asking him to ... support this package of secondary sanctions," he told Fox News. Secondary sanctions have gained traction in Washington, with U.S. lawmakers in May 2025 warning that Trump was prepared to impose them if Russia rejected ceasefire terms. Despite this, implementation has been uneven, allowing Russia to redirect oil exports to India and China, sustaining its war economy despite a 90% drop in EU energy imports.
Zelenskyy also commended Europe's strides in weaning itself off Russian energy, noting that the continent has slashed 80% of its contracts since the invasion began in February 2022. This aligns with the European Commission's REPowerEU plan, launched in May 2022, which has diversified supplies through increased LNG imports from the U.S. and Norway, accelerated renewable energy deployment, and imposed bans on Russian coal and most oil. Gas imports from Russia have plummeted 75% since pre-war levels, with pipeline flows reduced to a "trickle." However, Zelenskyy cautioned that "it's not enough," pointing to lingering vulnerabilities like a record 16.5 million metric tons of Russian LNG imported by the EU in 2024.
The interviews and calls precede a high-level Ukrainian delegation's visit to Washington this week, set to begin early Monday, October 13. Led by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, the group includes Presidential Office Head Andriy Yermak and Sanctions Policy Commissioner Vladyslav Vlasiuk. Zelenskyy announced the trip on X on October 9, outlining key agenda items: air defense enhancements, energy security, sanctions enforcement, frozen Russian assets, and the broader negotiation track.
Svyrydenko, who also serves as First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, will spearhead talks on a proposed "Mega Deal" for purchasing additional air defense systems and HIMARS rocket launchers. Yermak, Zelenskyy's chief of staff and a key negotiator, previously met U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in 2023 to discuss similar priorities, emphasizing Ukraine's integration into Western security frameworks. Vlasiuk, appointed sanctions commissioner in 2024, will focus on leveraging the estimated $300 billion in frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine's reconstruction, a contentious issue in G7 discussions.
This visit builds on prior engagements, including Svyrydenko and Yermak's August 2025 trip to Washington, where they secured preliminary commitments on security guarantees. The delegation's arrival coincides with heightened U.S. congressional scrutiny of Ukraine aid, now totaling over $175 billion since 2022, amid debates over long-range weapons like Tomahawk missiles—a topic Zelenskyy raised directly with Trump. Axios reported that the leaders discussed allowing Tomahawk sales to NATO allies for transfer to Kyiv, a move Putin has labeled a "new stage of escalation."
The timing is critical. Russia launched a massive barrage on October 10, deploying 465 Shahed drones and 32 missiles against Ukraine's energy infrastructure, leaving parts of Kyiv without power. Ukrainian strikes, including with the new Palianytsia missile, have targeted Russian oil facilities, causing gas shortages in Moscow and disrupting Donetsk advances. Zelenskyy framed these exchanges as evidence that "no safe places" exist in Russia's rear, underscoring the need for escalated U.S. support.
Analysts view Zelenskyy's outreach to Trump as a pragmatic pivot. "Kyiv is betting on Trump's ego and deal-making instincts," said Kristi Raik of the Estonian Foreign Policy Institute, noting the contrast with earlier tensions, including a chaotic February 2025 White House meeting where Trump accused Zelenskyy of disrespect. That encounter, which led to a brief aid suspension, ended with Zelenskyy agreeing to a conditional 30-day ceasefire—though Russia rejected it.
Broader context reveals a war entering its fourth year with no end in sight. Casualties exceed 1 million combined, per UN estimates, while Ukraine's economy has shrunk 30% since 2022. Diplomatic efforts, including Trump's August Putin summit in Alaska, have stalled, with Moscow demanding territorial concessions Kyiv deems non-negotiable. European allies, having committed 167 billion euros in aid, continue pushing REPowerEU goals, aiming for full independence from Russian fossils by 2027.
On X, reactions ranged from cautious optimism—with users posting "If one war can be stopped, others can be stopped too"—to skepticism, as some quipped about "Gaza ceasefire theater" amid Kyiv blackouts. Pro-Trump accounts praised the approach as "leveraging American strength," while critics highlighted aid accountability.
Trump, fresh from Gaza summit co-chairing with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on October 13, has hinted at trilateral talks involving Putin and Zelenskyy. Yet, as Zelenskyy told reporters on October 8, lasting peace requires "credible security guarantees" and the return of abducted children—demands echoing his 2019 negotiations with Putin, Macron, and Merkel, which collapsed.
For Ukraine, a nation of 41 million scarred by occupation and destruction, these overtures represent a lifeline. As Svyrydenko's team lands in D.C., the stakes could not be higher: a Trump-brokered deal might end the bloodshed, but failure risks deeper isolation. Zelenskyy's Fox News plea—"support this package"—is less a request than a rallying cry, blending hope with the harsh calculus of survival.
The delegation's meetings, spanning the White House, Congress, and think tanks, will test this fragile rapport. If Trump channels Gaza's momentum, as Zelenskyy implores, it could redefine transatlantic security. Otherwise, winter looms with Russian drones on the horizon, and Europe's 80% energy pivot—laudable but incomplete—may prove cold comfort.
