On Thursday, Ukraine attacked a Russian oil refinery, signalling the end of a temporary truce concerning energy-related targets, which Ukraine alleged Moscow had not honoured. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed disappointment in US President Donald Trump, conveying a sense of betrayal.
The drone strike sparked a fire at a refinery about 300 kilometres southeast of Moscow in Russia’s Ryazan region, as confirmed by the Russian Defence Ministry and Ryazan Governor Pavel Malkov. Russia’s online news outlet Astra shared a photograph of the incident.
This action may further complicate Ukraine’s relationship with Trump, particularly as tensions between Kyiv and Washington have intensified in recent days. President Zelenskyy articulated his frustration regarding Russia’s ongoing aerial assaults on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, which he believes contradicts Trump’s call for both parties to halt such attacks issued on Sunday.
Despite adhering to Trump’s request for a truce, Zelenskyy complained about a lack of typical Western intelligence on Russian ballistic missile strikes and restrictions on using US-made Starlink communication terminals—resources critical to the Ukrainian military.
President Zelenskyy indicated that his patience had been exhausted, announcing in an interview with the Financial Times that Ukraine would resume its attacks on Russian oil refineries. A senior official in Ukraine, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, confirmed that Ukrainian forces had indeed targeted the refinery.
Zelenskyy slams US deal on Russian diesel
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov asserted on Thursday that Ukraine has consistently targeted Russian refineries, resulting in significant damage to Russia. However, independent verification of claims from both sides has not been possible. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov characterised Ukraine’s strikes on oil facilities as a “direct and crude challenge to President Trump.”
Additionally, a point of contention regarding Ukraine involves a deal made by Trump with Russian President Vladimir Putin to import Russian diesel. This agreement has raised concerns, particularly in light of international efforts to sanction Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine and to isolate Putin diplomatically.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has criticised this arrangement, indicating that it could enable Russia to further its extensive invasion of Ukraine, which began over four and a half years ago. Efforts by the Trump administration to resolve the conflict have not yielded progress.
In an interview with Piers Morgan on a YouTube programme late Wednesday, President Zelenskyy articulated his feelings of betrayal concerning Trump’s deal with Putin, the announcement of an energy ceasefire, and the limitations imposed on the Starlink system, which restricted the use of Ukrainian drones.
“Our country has to survive, and we rely on our true strategic partners, the United States and President Trump,” Zelenskyy said. He described the US actions, including the Starlink restrictions, as “remarkably unusual.”
US not on the right side of history
Zelenskyy criticised Trump for favouring one side in the US-Ukraine relationship, stating, “It’s painful when President Trump chooses one side, not our side.“ He said he’s concerned Trump is being influenced to take a position that is “not the right side of history.”
Elon Musk noted on X that Starshield, the military version of Starlink, is under US military control. A Ukrainian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Ukraine has not received explanations from SpaceX or the Pentagon about a slowdown in support. The Pentagon has not responded to The Associated Press’s questions on this issue.
The absence of Western intelligence makes Ukraine more vulnerable to Russian missile attacks, though Trump claims that the US continues to share intelligence with Ukraine.
Amid concerns that the Trump administration may withdraw support for Ukraine, President Zelenskyy visited Brussels on Thursday to meet with EU leaders at a two-day summit. He planned to meet with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, French President Emmanuel Macron, and the prime ministers of Poland, Denmark, and Belgium. The day before, he secured more assistance from UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham in London.
When asked about EU trust in Trump, foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated, “We have a different approach to this war. We must pressure the aggressor to stop, not the victim to surrender.“ She added, “Squeezing Ukraine is not the right approach, and that’s why Europe stands with Ukraine.”
This article used information from The Associated Press.
