Trump declines to blame Putin for Ukraine war, amid transatlantic tensions

As of October 16, 2026, US President Donald Trump declined to blame Russian President Vladimir Putin for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, amid growing transatlantic tensions. Ahead of upcoming state elections, Trump has increasingly shifted the blame onto Ukraine for rising energy costs by highlighting attacks on Russian refineries, rather than attributing it to Middle Eastern supply disruptions. This stance further strained relations with Britain and other NATO members, who have consistently condemned Russia for its role in triggering the conflict since Putin's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Trump also denied that the US was responsible for disrupting Kyiv’s access to the vital Starlink satellite communications system, a move critics argue left Ukraine vulnerable. At a campaign rally in Georgia, Trump expressed his desire for an end to the war but criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as "not a big fan," claiming he is more difficult to deal with than Putin and suggesting Ukraine needs new leadership. In response, Zelensky attended a summit in Brussels on October 16, where he indicated that Trump was making him a scapegoat for soaring fuel prices caused by the Iran war initiated by the US and Israel earlier that year.