Zelensky Defends Ukraine’s Right to Strike Russian Oil Facilities

Highlights

Volodymyr Zelensky says he is defending Ukraine’s interests after Donald Trump condemned renewed Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries. The dispute is tied to a US-Russia diesel agreement, restrictions affecting Ukraine’s Starlink access, and wider disagreements over the war. At an EU summit in Brussels, Zelensky sought European support for Ukraine’s defence and winter needs, including funding and weapons. He said Ukraine could produce more drones but lacked the money to do so, and highlighted shortages of US-made Patriot missiles. The clash exposes how energy, military support, and diplomacy are increasingly intertwined. Meanwhile, attacks on energy infrastructure and other targets continue on both sides.

Sentiment Analysis

• The article’s tone is primarily serious and tense, reflecting the continued war and worsening diplomatic friction between the United States and Ukraine. Trump’s criticism of Zelensky and the dispute over Russian oil refineries frame the account as a conflict over policy, military strategy, and political responsibility.
• There is a cautiously supportive note in the description of EU leaders rallying around Zelensky and discussing funding and defence assistance. Zelensky’s appeal to European allies also provides a diplomatic counterpoint to his strained relationship with Washington.
• The reporting remains largely factual rather than celebratory or openly condemnatory. It attributes statements to the people and institutions involved and describes competing claims about ceasefire arrangements and attacks.
• Concern is heightened by reported civilian deaths, ongoing strikes, infrastructure damage, and the prospect of intensified attacks during winter. The details about weapon shortages and uncertainty over US support reinforce the article’s anxious tone.
• Overall, the sentiment is mixed but leans negative because the central developments involve escalation, strained alliances, and significant defence challenges. The emphasis is on uncertainty and risk, alongside limited signs of continued European solidarity.

Article Text

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has defended his country’s actions after US President Donald Trump criticized Ukraine’s renewed attacks on Russian oil refineries. Trump described the strikes as a “disgrace” and said Zelensky was harder to deal with than Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelensky responded that he was standing up for Ukraine’s interests, arguing that he could not accept a US agreement with Moscow to import diesel without raising concerns about what might follow.

The disagreement has added to already strained relations between Washington and Kyiv. The diesel arrangement is intended to send 300,000 tonnes of diesel to the American and global marketplace. Zelensky has called the deal a gift to Putin, saying it would put more money into the Russian leader’s pocket to support the war. Trump, meanwhile, has objected to Ukrainian attacks that could affect Russia’s ability to fulfil its part of the agreement.

The dispute over the refineries has unfolded alongside competing accounts of a proposed pause in attacks on energy facilities. Trump announced a ceasefire concerning those facilities last week. Kyiv said it would stop striking them if Russia did the same, while Moscow said it had not agreed to the arrangement and continued attacks. After three days, Ukraine resumed its strikes. Both countries have continued targeting energy infrastructure, and the disagreement has become another point of contention between the two governments.

Zelensky’s comments came during a visit to Brussels for an EU summit, following a visit to London. European leaders expressed support for him as they discussed Ukraine’s needs for the coming period. Funding, military assistance, and preparations for another winter during Russia’s full-scale invasion, which began in 2022, were central topics. Zelensky told the European Council that the war would cost €155bn (£131bn; $174bn) next year, and that at least €70bn would need to come from the EU for defence and weapons.

Ukraine’s ability to increase domestic weapons production is also constrained by funding. Zelensky said the country could make up to three times more drones but did not have sufficient money to do so. He also pointed to a shortage of US-made Patriot missiles, which are used to defend Ukrainian towns and cities. Zelensky said he believed Europe had the interceptors Ukraine would need during the winter, but described their delivery as piecemeal.

Another source of friction is access to Starlink, the US-owned satellite internet network that is important to Ukraine’s military. Restrictions were imposed earlier in the week, and Zelensky described the slowdown on Tuesday night as a dangerous and unwelcome surprise. He said speeds had still not been fully restored by Friday. The disruption coincided with deadly Russian strikes, although the account does not establish a direct connection between the service restrictions and those attacks. The Trump administration has also warned it could withhold intelligence-sharing, which is important to Ukraine’s defence, if Kyiv does not stop attacking Russian oil facilities.

In a Thursday evening interview with Newsmax, Trump said he was not a fan of Zelensky and accused him of not genuinely wanting a settlement. He also argued that the Ukrainian strikes were driving up global oil prices and said there were other targets Ukraine could hit. The article links Trump’s focus on fuel costs to rising US fuel and diesel prices since the war with Iran began in February, as well as the approaching mid-term elections next month.

Asked after the EU summit whether Trump was making him a scapegoat for domestic political difficulties, Zelensky paused and smiled before saying, “This is my answer,” prompting laughter from reporters. He also said that many people in America wanted to be allies rather than divide or humiliate Europe. His remarks underline the contrast between his appeal to American public support and his increasingly difficult relationship with the US administration.

Attacks and military developments continued as diplomatic disagreements persisted. Local officials reported that several people were killed in a Russian drone strike on Kharkiv on Thursday night. Russian officials said airspace above Moscow was closed for hours after Ukrainian strikes and that 644 drones had been intercepted over 26 Russian regions.

Satellite imagery also showed developments in the countries’ military capabilities. Images indicated that Russia had nearly completed construction of a drone base in six weeks. Experts consulted by BBC Verify said the facility, two miles (3.5km) from Millerovo airbase in Russia’s Rostov region, appeared intended for powerful jet drones associated with deadly attacks on civilian targets. Risk intelligence specialist Justin Crump said the site suggested Moscow planned to increase the pace of strikes against Ukraine during winter. Separately, imagery from US-based intelligence firm Vantor showed damage at Borisoglebsk airbase in Voronezh region. A large burn mark, debris, and damage appeared where an earlier image showed several Su-34 fighter bombers lined up.

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