US President Donald Trump has criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over renewed Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries, arguing that the strikes could push global oil prices higher.
Speaking to Newsmax, Trump described the attacks as a “disgrace”, accusing Kyiv of taking actions that could affect international fuel supplies.
“All he’s doing is making the world oil price higher. Well, I think that’s a disgrace,” Trump said.
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Ukraine resumed attacks on Russian oil refinery facilities on Thursday, including a reported strike on an installation in Russia’s Ryazan region. The renewed offensive followed Zelensky’s announcement that Kyiv would no longer observe the pause in attacks on Russian refineries.
“The block [on attacking refineries] is out. We’re done,” Zelensky told the Financial Times.
Trump argued that Ukraine should avoid targeting facilities involved in diesel production, citing the potential consequences for global energy markets.
“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,” he said.
The US president also expressed dissatisfaction with Zelensky’s approach to negotiations, saying he considered the Ukrainian leader more difficult to deal with than Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“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.”
Relations between Ukraine and the United States have deteriorated following Washington’s decision to ease certain restrictions on Russian oil exports, a move linked to efforts to increase diesel supplies to international markets.
Zelensky has criticised the decision, arguing that easing restrictions could provide Moscow with additional economic resources to sustain its invasion of Ukraine.
The policy has also attracted criticism amid concerns that increased Russian energy exports could undermine efforts to pressure Moscow into ending the war.
Meanwhile, Trump’s efforts to broker an end to the conflict have yet to produce a lasting agreement, with disagreements over military operations and energy infrastructure continuing to complicate diplomatic efforts.
Tensions escalated further this week after Ukraine reported restrictions affecting its use of Starlink satellite internet services. Kyiv said the disruption had affected drone operations and raised concerns about its military communications and air defence capabilities.
Starlink, operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has played an important role in Ukraine’s communications infrastructure since Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
Trump has also previously called for changes in Ukraine’s leadership, accusing the government in Kyiv of obstructing efforts to end the conflict. Musk has expressed support for calls for a change in Ukraine’s leadership, adding another dimension to the growing dispute between Washington and Kyiv.
The latest exchange highlights the widening differences between Trump and Zelensky over how to end the war, manage sanctions against Russia and protect global energy supplies.
Source: Reuters
