Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Sunday that any formal U.S. alignment with Russian President Vladimir Putin would be a historic mistake that could prevent Ukraine from prevailing in the conflict.

Speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press," Zelenskyy said that without U.S. support it would be very difficult for Ukraine, but official backing for Russia would make victory impossible. "If the United States will officially take the side of Russia, of course, if these two countries will be together, of course we will not prevail and we will not be able to stand," he stated.

The comments came amid recent U.S. actions under President Donald Trump, including the waiver of new sanctions on Russia passed by Congress and a diesel import deal with Moscow aimed at easing global fuel prices. Trump described the sanctions waiver as serving U.S. national interests.

Zelenskyy expressed continued hope that Trump would shift course, saying he wants to trust the president and that recent moves represent mistakes that hurt both Ukraine and the United States. He noted Ukraine remains grateful for the resumption of U.S. intelligence sharing after a temporary interruption that left Kyiv without early warnings for some Russian ballistic missile attacks.

Trump has described Zelenskyy as more difficult to deal with than Putin in recent remarks, while Zelenskyy emphasized his preference for honest partners over those he called killers. The Ukrainian leader said he hopes the administration will side with Ukraine or at least stay neutral.

These developments occur as the Trump administration balances pressure on Moscow with domestic economic concerns, including fuel costs influenced by broader global events. Zelenskyy called the sanctions relief a pity and warned it would strengthen Putin's position.