Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a sharp warning Thursday, claiming Russia’s Vladimir Putin is quietly preparing to reject a ceasefire proposal while lacking the nerve to tell U.S. President Donald J. Trump he intends to keep the war alive.

In his nightly address, Zelensky painted a picture of a Kremlin leader stalling for time—or angling to scuttle peace entirely.

“He’s in fact preparing a rejection,” Zelensky said, alleging Putin is layering conditions onto the ceasefire idea to ensure “nothing happens at all, or it cannot happen for as long as possible.”

He argued Putin fears admitting to Trump his desire “to continue this war, to kill Ukrainians,” a charge that underscores the fraught dynamics between Moscow and Washington.

Zelensky pointed to U.S. willingness to orchestrate oversight of a truce, alongside Europe’s capabilities, as a workable path forward. “This is possible to ensure,” he said, suggesting American and European muscle could guarantee compliance.

A ceasefire, he added, would buy time “to prepare answers to all questions regarding long-term security and a real, reliable peace,” culminating in a concrete plan to end the conflict.

The accusation lands as Trump’s administration pushes for a resolution, a shift from earlier U.S. postures. Zelensky’s words cast Putin as the spoiler, unwilling to pause a war now in its third year, even as Kyiv seeks a breather to regroup and strategize.

With Moscow’s next move unclear, the Ukrainian leader’s remarks sharpen the spotlight on a high-stakes diplomatic dance, being watched by the world.