Washington just reached for its biggest stick. But it is threatening the wrong country. According to the Financial Times, the Trump administration is threatening to shut down PURL, the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List.
PURL is a NATO-managed initiative that lets Kyiv’s allies buy US-made weapons, which are then supplied to Kyiv.
President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greet President Xi Jinping of China and First Lady Peng Liyuan at the South Portico during a State Arrival ceremony, Thursday, September 24, 2026. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)
President Donald J. Trump delivers remarks to the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at U.N. Headquarters in New York City. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)
But Washington is threatening to cut off PURL unless Ukraine stops hitting Russia’s oil refineries.
The same message reportedly carries a threat to cut off intelligence sharing.
European officials told the paper that U.S. defense officials have been working the phones in Kyiv and across European capitals to drive the point home.
Let that sink in.
The United States is threatening to disarm the country being invaded because it is winning one part of the fight for its survival, to protect the country actively aiding our adversary in a conflict in the Middle East.
The Pressure Campaign Is Out In The Open
This didn’t come out of nowhere.
U.S. officials called European and Ukrainian counterparts on Oct. 10 and 11, and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s military adviser Pavlo Palisa was among those on the other end of the line, Liga.net reported.
Before that, envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner warned Ukrainian negotiators in Miami that intelligence could dry up.
On Oct. 9, Trump announced a diesel deal with Putin.
A day later, he told Zelenskyy to “damn well stop” and, as the Washington Post reported, said it was time for Ukraine to get a new president.
But he didn’t utter a word about telling Putin to stop targeting Ukrainian civilians, or aiding the Iranians.
Then, on Sunday, Trump posted on Truth Social, declaring an energy ceasefire effective immediately. Zelenskyy said he was still waiting on the details.
Russia responded by hitting the CHPP-5 power plant in Kharkiv and other targets.
The two levers matter. PURL is how European allies pay for American-made weapons and ship them to Ukraine.
Shutting it down doesn’t save the U.S. taxpayer anything.
It just blocks Europe from buying American equipment for Kyiv. Intelligence sharing is even bigger. For those keeping score at home, a lot of Ukraine’s long-range weapons lose their eyes without U.S. targeting data.
According to U.S., European, and Ukrainian intelligence assessments, Russia has been sharing satellite imagery and electronic intelligence with Tehran.
It signals data to Iran to help locate and target U.S. and allied military forces in the Middle East.
Why Kyiv Won’t Stop, Nor Should They
Kyiv’s strikes on Russian refineries have hit the Russian economy hard.
Ukrainian strikes have knocked out roughly 51 percent of Russia’s refining capacity, per the same Liga.net report.
Kpler counts at least 25 Russian refineries hit since August 2025, with crude runs this summer at their lowest level in more than two decades.
Moscow banned diesel exports in July.
These attacks have been very detailed.
A Washington Post investigation shows Ukraine’s drone operators deliberately targeting the crude distillation units and other components that Western sanctions make hard to repair.
Kyiv knows it.
One senior Ukrainian official told the FT that Ukraine will keep burning Russian refineries, according to Kyiv Post.
Fuel pays for Putin’s war, and fuel moves his army.
Hitting it with cheap drones from hundreds of miles away is about the best return on investment Ukraine has.
The Trade-Off
The Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries have much less to do with the price of diesel than the conflict in Iran and the restriction of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, as Forbes laid out.
Ukraine’s drones do add to the squeeze. However, they didn’t create it.
Zelenskyy has also put a fair deal on the table more than once.
Ukraine stops hitting refineries the day Russia stops hitting Ukraine’s power grid and heating plants, he reiterated on Sunday.
Russia has spent four winters trying to freeze Ukrainians in the dark.
A one-sided pause asks Kyiv to give up its best weapon while Moscow keeps its own.
And then helps our adversary in the Iran conflict.
The threat to end PURL and intelligence sharing is leveraging the wrong people.
It tells Europe that Washington can switch off the weapons it pays for over gas prices.
It tells Moscow that waiting out the Americans still works.
None of that helps the Ukrainian people in the dark this winter.
Washington reached for its biggest stick.
And then pointed it at the wrong country.
About the Author: Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
