Trump calls Ukraine’s renewed strikes on Russian oil refineries a ‘disgrace’

President Donald Trump has publicly condemned Ukraine's resumed attacks on Russian oil refineries, saying in a Newsmax interview that they push up global oil prices. He also voiced a dislike of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whom he finds harder to work with than Vladimir Putin. The remarks follow the breakdown of an energy truce Trump announced last week, which neither Moscow nor Kyiv said they had accepted. Zelenskyy had then declared Ukraine would no longer observe it, according to The Guardian.

Ties between the two capitals have worsened since Trump loosened sanctions on Russia in return for more Russian diesel reaching world markets. Zelenskyy objected that the deal would help Moscow sustain its invasion, now in its fifth year. Ukraine also reported limits on Starlink access that hampered its drones and air defenses, and Zelenskyy said he felt personally betrayed. Britain's defense secretary, Wes Streeting, said Pete Hegseth had personally assured him that the service was working again.

In Brussels, European leaders rallied behind Zelenskyy. Ursula von der Leyen promised a 22nd sanctions package, and António Costa pointed to Ukraine's path toward EU membership. Emmanuel Macron and Donald Tusk offered further backing, while Zelenskyy reported a new Russian drone attack that cut power in Lutsk.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Guardian’s reporting. Read the full story at The Guardian →