Zelensky Says Putin ‘Needs Trump,’ May Offer De-Escalation Before Winter

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin “needs” US President Donald Trump and is unlikely to “antagonize” him ahead of winter – even as Moscow views the season as a chance to weaken Ukraine. Zelensky made the remarks in an interview with Axios on Monday, Sept. 7, while also revealing possible new outcomes of the negotiations, following the weekend discussions in Kyiv with senior US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Although he declined to disclose further details, Zelensky said that “there are ideas around energy [facilities] and around grain [shipments], around electricity [facilities] and around oil and gas [exports].” “We have different interests, Russia and we,” he continued. Asked whether Putin might want to give Trump a diplomatic win ahead of the US elections, Zelensky confirmed, saying he believes that Putin might be pressured by the Trump administration to de-escalate the war. Kremlin relies on winter pressure Zelensky noted that he remains convinced Putin views the approaching winter as leverage to push Kyiv into further concessions. “Russia really thinks that this winter can help them to break us,” he told Axios, suggesting Moscow anticipates a renewed assault on infrastructure may leave Ukraine “more compromising.” He maintained that Kyiv has already exhausted its capacity for concessions and that any settlement would require firm security guarantees alongside economic backing. Other Topics of Interest Russia Threatens Response to Norway’s Military Buildup Norway says the war in Ukraine proved long-range strike systems are essential to modern defense, while the Kremlin called Norway’s expanded military presence a threat to its security. Meanwhile, Putin continues to insist on his own terms for peace, holding firm to demands that Ukraine cede the remainder of Donetsk and Luhansk regions before any frontline compromise can be reached, citing Moscow’s battlefield victories – the same victories that have been debunked by independent analysts. Zelensky also pointed to Ukraine’s capacity to hit Russia back. “When they attacked our electricity, we blocked their possibility to sell oil and gas,” he said. Envoys say Russia willing to talk The American delegation reportedly conveyed to Zelensky that Moscow is prepared to engage in negotiations, even as Russia increases its aggression against Ukraine, casting heavy doubt on that possibility. Regardless, the meetings appear to have moved forward, as demonstrated by all three sides on Monday; Witkoff confirmed “substantive progress” had been made, “including movement on scheduling additional trilateral talks;” Zelensky echoed the development by saying that Ukraine was planning its “next steps” following three rounds of negotiations in Kyiv; and – though offering no timeline for the meetings – the Kremlin said that Moscow did not rule out resuming the trilateral format. Strategy ahead of winter Zelensky told Axios that Washington’s current strategy combines two goals – reopening formal talks and securing informal arrangements to prevent an escalation during the winter season. He described this reading of the situation as “very close to the reality of these conversations,” adding that the goal would be to find steps – before or during the winter – “which can bring [the] sides closer to the peace.” According to Zelensky, the US is also assembling a separate winter aid package for Ukraine. “It’s not only about missiles,” he said. “It’s also about LNG [liquefied natural gas]... and it’s also about steps of de-escalation.” Washington has noticeably changed its stance towards Ukraine over past year. Until 2025, it remained Moscow-aligned, with Trump refusing to call Russia the aggressor and blaming Ukraine for starting the war. Citing Ukraine’s battlefield success, Trump has since gone as far as calling Russia the likely loser in its own war, while simultaneously floating the idea of granting Ukraine the license to domestically produce its own Patriots during Zelensky’s visit to the White House on July 28. Around the same time, the envoys agreed to visit Kyiv. Their weekend trip marked the first time they had visited Ukraine since becoming presidential intermediaries. Meanwhile, they had maintained extensive contact with Moscow. Kyiv intends to use the diplomatic momentum Zelensky said Kyiv intends to use the upcoming months – particularly September and October – to revive diplomatic momentum, floating the United Nations (UN) General Assembly session in New York as a potential setting for further discussions with US officials. “Without dialogue… we will not have [a] result,” Zelensky said, expressing optimism that Trump could help launch genuine negotiations ahead of winter. He argued that Kyiv is currently in a better position on the battlefield than it previously was – even as Russian drone and missile attacks continue, and as Ukraine faces shortages in its air defense. Zelensky also urged additional US sanctions on Russia, describing them as a key source of leverage. “Putin needs money,” he said. “Putin wants money to continue the war.” Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.