‘That is my answer’: Zelenskyy smiles at suggestion he is a scapegoat for Trump’s problems – Europe live

2026/10/16

Categories: world-news

From

21m ago

Zelenskyy smiles at suggestion he's a 'scapegoat' for Trump's problems ahead of midterms

Oh, that’s tasty.

Zelenskyy got asked by Sky News if he feels he’s being treated as a scapegoat for Trump’s domestic problems ahead of the tricky midterm elections.

In response, he pauses for 15 seconds, and eventually smiles before saying:

“This is my answer.”

Ouch.

Zelenskyy answers question on whether he thinks he's a scapegoat for pressures facing Trump
Zelenskyy answers question on whether he thinks he's a scapegoat for pressures facing Trump

And the press conference immediately wraps up after that.

Key events

Putin 'wants to destroy us' as he questions Ukraine's 'existence,' Zelenskyy warns

Asked again if he’s feeling some pressure among European leaders or fearing potential changes in European politics with big elections coming up next year, he says that he “feels full support from Europe now.”

“Europe is very united and it’s cognisant of all of the risks,” he says.

He says the war clearly shows “major risks for Europe” as he recalls recent incidents in Bulgaria, Germany, Poland, Romania.

“Europe understands as long as Ukraine stands, there will be fewer escalation with Russia,” he says.

He says Russia’s demands are not about Donbas or any part of its territory, but about “our country’s existence.”

“We’re now standing and fighting. What’s the alternative? Annihilation.”

He says Putin “wants to destroy us,” and “does not respect our sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

“So you really trust that he needs only a part of our country?”

He also warns that any further progress in Ukraine could also trigger a wave of Ukrainian migrants in Europe.

Zelenskyy says that he often hears from Trump that he just wants to “stop the killings.”

“Yes, [but] Russia is killing us, on our territory. They came on our land and further pushing further. They don’t want to stop. They even don’t want to freeze [the conflict], as you see. And what will be after that? On what borders will he [stop]?”

Visibly frustrated, he says that more than 1,000 drones were sent to Ukraine yesterday, but the American side “said that it’s difficult to speak with Zelenskyy.”

'I’m only standing up for Ukraine’s interests,' Zelenskyy says after Trump's comments comparing him with Putin

Zelenskyy gets asked about Trump’s comments that he is more difficult to deal with than Putin (11:09).

He says that in his meetings with Trump he always found topics for discussion and decisions.

“I’m only standing up for Ukraine’s interests,” he says, responding to Russian attacks.

“And no matter how Russia would like to limit all of our rights, it’s clear that we do have a right to defend ourselves.”

He says Putin “does not seek negotiations in any format,” but only “playing these games of words.” “He does not want the war to end,” he says, saying Putin’s actions are a “parody” of efforts to end the war.

He says that’s why he cannot accept any diesel deals with the US, because they will then be followed by gas agreements or other attempts to lift sanctions on Russia or its frozen assets, banking system, chemical industry, certain Russian individuals.

“If I don’t stand up to this, if I don’t defend it, who else will do this diplomatically?”

Zelenskyy praises 'very good' meeting with Hungary's Magyar

Asked about his relationship with Hungary’s Magyar (13:08), Zelenskyy says it was “a very good meeting” on the economy, logistics, energy.

He says he is “not against” meeting the Hungarian PM in Budapest next.

Zelenskyy says he heard 'only support' from EU leaders despite his clash with Trump over diesel deal

Zelenskyy gets asked if he heard any criticism from fellow leaders to his response to the US deal with Russia on diesel.

He says he “heard … only support,” and he is “grateful to them for this.”

He says the diesel deal caught Ukraine by surprise, and he believes Ukraine “should be aware of these things.”

He says despite all of that Ukraine is ready to support an energy ceasefire, but “it all depends on Russia and they do not want it.”

“And if there is no energy ceasefire, give us anti-ballistic missiles so that I can protect my energy facilities – … not too many, but for the period … of the diesel deal.”

He says Ukrainian negotiators are in touch with their US counterparts, and “in the coming days, they will arrange a meeting at a certain level,” and they will keep discussing it.

Zelenskyy declines to say if Ukraine targets Russian refineries

Zelenskyy gets directly asked if Ukraine is hitting refineries in Russia.

He says he “usually don’t communicate” the details of Ukraine’s military operations, but says “the main rule of our operations is to respond.”

Earlier he said Europe is “making certain steps” to have its own track in peace negotiations, but he didn’t offer more details on that.

Europe has enough interceptors to help Ukraine get through winter, Zelenskyy says

Zelenskyy says that Ukraine’s requests for further help ahead of this winter cover “the bare minimum” needed.

He says it’s unclear what Ukraine could get, but he is confident that European countries have enough interceptors to share and “go through this winter.”

He also says the focus is on producing a new anti-ballistic system and make it “quicker to produce, cheaper to produce” and then share with the rest of Europe.

Zelenskyy says Starlink speeds not completely restored, Ukraine struggling with air defence

Zelenskyy then gets asked about media reports that Ukraine is running out of Patriot interceptors and its reliance on Starlink.

He acknowledges that Ukraine is “not a priority destination” for deliveries funded by Europe, but thanks for all help it can get.

“We are picking them up where we can: one or two here, five there, ten there, arranging all of this and bringing them to Ukraine,” he says.

On Starlink, he says Ukraine “is working with some countries, including France” on additional capabilities.

Zelenskyy also addresses the issue of intelligence sharing with Ukraine.

He says “many countries are sharing their intel with us, … dozens of countries.”

But he then gets asked again for a straight clarification on what is the status of both Starlink (or its military version, Starshield) and US intel.

On Starlink, he says “certain speed levels are needed” for its military to work properly – not for “deep strikes inside Russia,” but for its defence operations, particularly against Russian jet-powered drones.

“This is why it was a very dangerous and unpleasant surprise,” he says.

“Starlink was not turned off, but the speed limits were lowered … and we were incapable of shooting down some Shahed drones, and were no longer able to use one of the tools to protect our population,” he says.

Jet-powered Shaheds move at 400 km/h, and the speed limits were reduced to 70 km/h, he says.

He says the technology is also used for “mid-range strikes against military targets,” and for logistics deliveries.

“Our defence ministry is in touch and my partners, they told me that there were signals from the White House that they would return these capabilities. Have they returned to the previous speed limits? No. But is it coming back now? Yes.”

Ukraine expects additional F-16s by the end of the year, Zelenskyy says

The briefing kicks off with Zelenskyy getting a question about Russian frozen assets and Belgium’s opposition to the issue.

He says by thanking Belgium for hosting the summit and for his meetings with PM de Wever and the Belgian king, Philippe. Ukraine expects additional F-16 from Belgium to be delivered by the end of the year.

Turning to frozen assets, he says “of course” he is raising this issue again.

He says Ukraine “would want to receive these funds in a certain format” and wants them to be safeguarded from Russia, “because we know very clearly that they want to bring these assets back.”

Zelenskyy holds press conference after talks with EU leaders - watch live

Jakub Krupa

Jakub Krupa

Zelenskyy is finally here to brief the media after his EU talks in Brussels.

I will bring you all the key lines here, but you can also watch along here:

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy holds press conference at EU summit - watch live

Hungary's Magyar hopes for new opening with Ukraine after talks with Zelenskyy

We are still waiting for Zelenskyy to show up to his press conference, but in the meantime we have just heard from Hungary’s Péter Magyar after his first meeting with the Ukrainian president.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Péter Magyar shake hands ahead of an EU summit roundtable
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Hungary’s prime minister Péter Magyar shake hands ahead of a round table as part of a European Union summit at the EU headquarters in Brussels. Photograph: Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images

The pair have a long list of tricky topics to discuss given Hungary’s tense relations with Ukraine under the previous government of Viktor Orbán, including the issue of minority rights for Hungarians in Ukraine, which is critical to Kyiv’s ambitions of joining the EU.

But the noises coming from that meeting are positive.

In a statement after the talks, Magyar welcomed the Ukrainian parliament’s adoption of a new law on minority education as “a first step towards restoring mutual trust,” and the two sides will “continue consultations … at the ministerial level.”

“We agreed that it is in the interest of both countries to place their political and economic relations on a new foundation,” he said.

In sharp contrast to his predecessor, Magyar also declared his strong solidarity with Zelenskyy “in the face of inhumane Russian aggression against his country.”

“Hungary stands ready to provide assistance, through all available diplomatic means, towards achieving an immediate ceasefire and a lasting peace,” he said.

Jakub Krupa

Jakub Krupa

Back to Brussels, we are expecting to hear from Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy shortly, as he is about to deliver a press conference after his talks with EU leaders.

I will bring you all the key lines here when he steps up to the podium.

Italy sees air traffic disrupted by data issues, but rules out 'malicious activity'

Separately, Italy is struggling with technical issues affecting the data transmission network for air traffic control, with lengthy delays at airports across the country affecting thousands of passengers.

Transport minister Matteo Salvini is “monitoring” the situation closely, his ministry said, with particular focus on ensuring the safety of operations, La Repubblica reported.

The air navigation operator ENAV ruled out any “malicious activity,” and said the disruption was due to technical issues with the system managed by telecom operator TIM, Corriere della Sera said.

Italy, Spain reportedly close to dropping post-Ceuta temporary border controls

Italy and Spain are reported to be close to dropping temporary border controls, introduced after the migration crisis in Ceuta in late August.

Spanish national police officers question a traveller beside a parked aircraft on the tarmac.
Spanish police check documents of travellers from Italy amid a dispute over irregular migration. Photograph: Spanish Police/Reuters

The move, reported in the Italian and Spanish press, was reportedly discussed on the sidelines of the ongoing EU summit in Brussels, with Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez and Italian PM Giorgia Meloni meeting on Thursday night.

The current thinking includes Italy extending its measures for seven days to align their expiry date with the Spanish restriction, when both would get lifted simultaneously on 22 October, El País reported.

Italy first suspended Schengen arrangements with Spain in late July, much to criticism from Spain.

EU leaders call for progress on European Starlink rival

In their doorstep comments, EU leaders also called for Europe to do more on reducing Ukraine’s dependence on the US Starlink satellite communications system.

A Ukrainian soldier kneels, setting up a Starlink satellite dish at a front-line position.
A Ukrainian serviceman of 47th brigade prepares a Starlink satellite internet systems at his positions at a front line in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine. Photograph: Reuters

The bloc’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Europe did not have a readily available alternative to technology controlled by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, AFP reported.

“Starlink is really necessary for Ukraine and unfortunately in (the) short term Europe can’t replace this capability,” Kallas said before the talks.

“Starlink is the key for Ukraine actually to fight or fight back,” Latvian prime minister Andris Kulbergs told reporters.

Dutch prime minister Rob Jetten said he had discussed with French president Emmanuel Macron “how we, as Europeans, can provide more of these kinds of services in the not too distant future”.

Bloomberg reported that the European Union will look to fast-track antitrust approvals for a rival European project.

'European leadership needed to ensure people are ... protected from Russian terror,' Zelenskyy says

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he discussed financial support for Ukraine with the presidents of the European Commission and European Council on the margins of the EU summit in Brussels.

European Council president António Costa, speaks with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a round table meeting at the EU summit in Brussels.
European Council president António Costa, speaks with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a round table meeting at the EU summit in Brussels. Photograph: Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP

In a post on X, he said:

“I had a good meeting with the President of the European Council, António Costa @eucopresident, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen @vonderleyen.

Right now, there are no signals from Russia that it is ready to end its war. The signals it is sending point to something entirely different and certainly do not bring peace any closer. After overnight Russian strikes on energy infrastructure, Russia carried out a horrific strike on Kharkiv this morning. Two people have already been reported killed. My condolences to their families and loved ones. Seventeen others were injured. Russia also struck a shopping mall in Rivne and energy facilities in four regions.

European leadership is needed to ensure that people’s lives are sufficiently protected from this Russian terror. We appreciate that everything we agree on is implemented promptly. Today, we discussed further assistance, first and foremost for our energy and air defense needs. We talked about support for our financial resilience, including for next year, and coordinated our work on the European integration track. It is important that new negotiating clusters were opened this week. We are working to open the remaining two by the end of the year. Thank you, António! Thank you, Ursula! Thank you, EU!”

>> Home