Why Has Zelensky Defied Trump Over Russian Oil Refineries?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Kyiv will resume attacks on Russian oil refineries amid tensions with Donald Trump over sanctions and diesel supplies.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has declared that Ukraine will resume attacks on Russian oil refineries, rejecting US President Donald Trump’s demand to halt strikes on energy facilities amid growing tensions between Kyiv and Washington.

“The block (on attacking refineries) is out,” Zelensky told the Financial Times in an interview published on October 15. “We’re done.”

The announcement follows a dispute over a US-Russia agreement involving diesel supplies, under which Trump eased sanctions on Moscow in exchange for Russia releasing substantial quantities of diesel onto global markets. Zelensky criticised the decision, arguing that it could provide Russia with additional resources to continue its war against Ukraine.

Relations between the two countries have deteriorated in recent days, with disagreements over military operations, energy supplies and Washington’s approach to ending the conflict.

Trump has blamed Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries for contributing to rising diesel prices. He also questioned Zelensky’s leadership, saying Ukraine needed a new president.

Zelensky, however, rejected the pressure to stop the strikes, which Kyiv considers an important part of its efforts to weaken Russia’s ability to finance its military campaign.

The Ukrainian president also expressed frustration over what he described as a lack of transparency from Washington. In an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan, Zelensky said he felt betrayed by Trump’s agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He further questioned the advice reaching the US president, arguing that Washington’s recent decisions appeared to favour Moscow rather than Kyiv.

The dispute has also coincided with concerns over Ukraine’s access to US satellite communications and intelligence support. Ukrainian military forces rely on the Starshield system, operated by SpaceX, for battlefield communications and coordination.

Defence officials reportedly confirmed that Washington had threatened to withdraw intelligence-sharing if Ukraine continued long-range attacks against Russian oil facilities.

SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk said his company was not responsible for the reported disruption to Starshield services, explaining that the systems were owned and controlled by the US government and that restrictions were determined by the American military and ultimately the president.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin accused Kyiv of undermining US-led peace efforts by continuing its attacks on Russian energy infrastructure. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a Russian refinery in Ryazan had been hit in what Moscow described as a large-scale attack.

Russia has continued striking Ukrainian energy infrastructure since launching its full-scale invasion in February 2022, while Ukraine has targeted Russian oil facilities that it says help fund the war.

The latest disagreement raises further questions about the future of US support for Ukraine and the prospects for diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.