US President Donald Trump has described Ukraine’s renewed attacks on Russian oil refineries as a “disgrace”, accusing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of driving up global oil prices after an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine collapsed.
Ukraine resumed strikes on Russian refineries after Zelenskyy announced that Kyiv was abandoning a ceasefire declared by Trump last week. Neither Moscow nor Kyiv had confirmed agreeing to the arrangement.
In an interview with Newsmax aired on Thursday, Trump criticised Ukraine’s decision to target Russian energy facilities, arguing that the attacks were affecting global fuel supplies.
“All he’s doing is making the world oil price higher. Well, I think that’s a disgrace,” Trump said.
“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.”
Trump Criticises Zelenskyy As US-Ukraine Relations Worsen
Relations between Washington and Kyiv have deteriorated since Trump eased sanctions on Russia last week in exchange for Moscow releasing substantial quantities of diesel into global markets.
The agreement was widely interpreted as an attempt to contain rising fuel prices ahead of the US midterm elections.
Zelenskyy criticised the arrangement, arguing that it would allow Russia to continue its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began more than four-and-a-half years ago.
Trump’s efforts to negotiate an end to the conflict have so far failed to produce a breakthrough.
During the Newsmax interview, the US President reiterated his criticism of Zelenskyy while suggesting that Russian President Vladimir Putin was easier to negotiate with.
“I’m not a big fan of Zelenskyy,” Trump said.
“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.”
Zelenskyy Praises European Leaders Amid Tensions With Washington
Arriving in Brussels on Friday for talks with European Union (EU) leaders, Zelenskyy did not directly respond to Trump’s latest remarks.
Instead, he expressed gratitude for Europe’s continued support, saying he was “so thankful that we have such huge support from the EU”.
He described European leaders as “real leaders” and reiterated Ukraine’s desire to end the war as soon as possible.
However, he said, “we don’t see now signals from [the] Russian side that they are ready for this”.
Tensions between Kyiv and Washington deepened further this week after Ukraine reported restrictions on Starlink satellite communication services.
The disruption reportedly affected Ukrainian drone operations and crucial air defence capabilities.
During a visit to London, Zelenskyy said the sudden restrictions had left him feeling personally betrayed by Trump and expressed disappointment over the loss of a key partner.
British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said on Thursday that his US counterpart, Pete Hegseth, had assured him during a meeting that Starlink services had been restored.
Speaking to the BBC, Streeting said the cause of the disruption remained unclear.
“This is not the first time we’ve seen a falling out between Washington and Kyiv,” he said.
EU Backs Ukraine, Promises Fresh Sanctions Against Russia
Amid uncertainty over Washington’s long-term commitment to Ukraine, European leaders reaffirmed their support for Kyiv.
European Council President António Costa, standing alongside Zelenskyy in Brussels, said Ukraine could “count on us not only to support you in war” but also in its efforts to secure EU membership.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc had supported Trump’s proposed energy ceasefire but accused Russia of violating it.
“But we have seen that Russia did not respect it, not a single minute,” she said, adding that Moscow had instead intensified its attacks.
Von der Leyen announced plans for a 22nd round of sanctions against Russia and ruled out easing existing restrictions until the war ended.
“We will not lift any sanctions unless Russia stops the war,” she said.
The announcement comes weeks after the EU removed sanctions against two prominent Russian oligarchs following requests from France and Luxembourg.
French President Emmanuel Macron, after meeting Zelenskyy, stressed that it was “crucial” for Ukraine to receive “all the means necessary to protect itself”.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also expressed solidarity with Ukraine, posting online, “I can reassure you, dear Ukrainian friends and President Zelenskyy: YOU ARE NOT ALONE.”
Russia, Ukraine Trade Accusations Over Renewed Strikes
While meeting European leaders in Brussels, Zelenskyy accused Russia of launching another attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
He said the Kremlin had “launched yet another vile drone strike on Ukrainian energy infrastructure” in Lutsk, causing power outages.
The Kremlin, meanwhile, accused Ukraine of undermining US-led peace efforts by resuming attacks on Russian oil refineries.
The renewed hostilities have added to tensions surrounding diplomatic efforts to end the war, with Washington and European leaders taking different approaches towards Russia and Ukraine.
