KYIV, Ukraine — Russian President Vladimir Putin is “not ready for compromises” to end his brutal war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told The Post in an exclusive interview on Wednesday — but President Trump has the power to bring him to his knees by speeding up tough sanctions that could cause a “social explosion” in Russia.

US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky discuss a deal for Washington to buy Ukrainian drones and Kyiv to purchase US weapons, enhancing aerial tech for both nations.

Ukraine’s parliament has appointed Yulia Svyrydenko as prime minister, the first leadership change in five years. Tasked with boosting defense production and fixing the economy, she takes charge amid intensifying Russian attacks and a looming $19 billion budget shortfall.

U.S. President Donald Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky if he could strike Moscow and St. Petersburg if Washington supplied the necessary weapons, according to new reports on a recent call between the two leaders.

Yulia Svyrydenko, 39, who succeeds Denys Shmyhal and previously served as economy minister, is well regarded by the US administration, with whom she negotiated the critical minerals agreement.

At least two people have been killed and a further 27 injured following a Russian air strike on a shopping centre and market in the town of Dobropillia in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, officials have said.

The meeting came as speculation mounted over a potential shift in Trump's approach to the ongoing war, which began in 2022.

An announcement by the Ukrainian president that he will seek to replace the prime minister with a loyalist came as the country faces battlefield setbacks and a souring mood.

President Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky may have more in common than meets the eye, the Ukrainian president suggested Wednesday in an exclusive interview with The Post. “First of all, we are the choice of our people

Zelensky used the call to thank Trump for U.S. support and to push for increased air defense cooperation. He said both leaders agreed to work on "strengthening protection of our skies" and to arrange meetings between their defense teams. The conversation also covered joint weapons production, drone technology, and mutual investments.