US President, Donald Trump has condemned Ukraine’s renewed strikes on Russian oil refineries, describing the attacks as a “disgrace” and renewing his criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following the collapse of an energy ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv.
Ukraine resumed its attacks on Russian oil refineries after Zelenskyy announced that Kyiv was abandoning a ceasefire abruptly declared by Trump the previous week. Neither Russia nor Ukraine had said it agreed to the proposed truce.
Speaking in an interview with a news outlet, Trump accused Ukraine’s strikes of contributing to higher global oil prices and argued that targeting facilities producing diesel fuel was harmful to international energy markets.
“All he’s doing is making the world oil price higher. Well, I think that’s a disgrace.
“There are a lot of targets you can hit, but when you shoot at diesel refineries where you make, you know, diesel oil, and we need that, and the world needs that, then he’s not doing a good service for the world.”
Donald Trump
The remarks come amid worsening relations between Washington and Kyiv, following a US decision to ease sanctions on Russia in exchange for Moscow releasing large quantities of diesel onto global markets.
The agreement has drawn criticism from Zelenskyy, who argued that the arrangement could enable Russia to continue its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began more than four and a half years ago.
The deal has also been widely interpreted as an attempt to bring down fuel prices ahead of the US midterm elections.
Trump Criticises Zelenskyy As Peace Efforts Stall
Trump reiterated his dissatisfaction with Zelenskyy during the interview, comparing his dealings with the Ukrainian leader to his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“I’m not a big fan of Zelenskyy. I think they actually both would like to see it end, but I think I find Zelenskyy to be more difficult to deal with than Putin.”
Donald Trump
The comments reflect the continuing difficulties facing US efforts to negotiate an end to the war. Despite Trump’s repeated attempts to facilitate an agreement, diplomatic efforts have so far made no progress.
The collapse of the proposed energy ceasefire has further complicated those efforts, with Washington and Moscow accusing Kyiv of undermining attempts to end the conflict.
The Kremlin accused Ukraine of derailing US-led peace efforts by resuming its attacks on Russian oil refineries. Kyiv, however, has raised concerns that arrangements benefiting Russia economically could allow Moscow to sustain its military campaign.
Tensions between Ukraine and the United States have also increased over the availability of Starlink services. Ukraine said this week that restrictions on the services had effectively hampered its drone strike operations and critical air defence capabilities.
The development has added to concerns in Kyiv about the durability of Washington’s long-term commitment to supporting Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against Russian attacks.
European Leaders Reaffirm Support For Ukraine
As relations between Kyiv and Washington face renewed strain, European leaders have stepped up public expressions of support for Zelenskyy.
The Ukrainian President travelled to Brussels, where he met NATO Secretary-General, Mark Rutte and held a series of bilateral meetings ahead of an expected appearance at an EU summit on Friday.
Following his meeting with Zelenskyy, French President, Emmanuel Macron stressed the importance of ensuring Ukraine had the resources necessary to defend itself.
Macron said that it was “crucial” that Ukraine receive “all the means necessary to protect itself.”
Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk also issued a message of solidarity with Kyiv, seeking to reassure the Ukrainian leadership amid growing uncertainty over US support. “I can reassure you, dear Ukrainian friends and President Zelenskyy: YOU ARE NOT ALONE,” Tusk posted online.
The expressions of support underscore European efforts to maintain backing for Ukraine as the diplomatic situation becomes more complicated.
During his meeting with Macron in Brussels, Zelenskyy also accused Russia of continuing attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. He said that the Kremlin had “launched yet another vile drone strike on Ukrainian energy infrastructure” in the city of Lutsk, resulting in power outages.
The attack highlights the continued vulnerability of energy infrastructure on both sides of the conflict, even as diplomatic initiatives seek to reduce hostilities.
With the proposed energy ceasefire abandoned, Ukraine’s refinery strikes resumed and disagreements over sanctions deepening, the prospects for renewed negotiations remain uncertain.
The latest exchanges have exposed differences between Washington and Kyiv over how to pressure Moscow, protect global energy supplies and secure an end to the war. Meanwhile, European leaders continue to signal their commitment to Ukraine as questions persist over the direction of US policy.
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