Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has refused President Donald Trump’s demands to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries, as the war rages on.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine at the end of February 2022.
MFOR Rocket Creative Commons Photo
HIMARS Test US Military Creative Commons Photo
Tensions spiraled after Moscow annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in 2014.
Previous rounds of peace talks have floundered after Moscow continued to demand that Ukraine cede territory that Russia has failed to occupy.
“The block [on attacking refineries] is out. We’re done,” Zelenskyy said in an interview with the Financial Times (FT), published Thursday.
Zelenskyy Refuses Trump’s Request to Halt Attacking Refineries
Zelenskyy has accused Trump of “admiring” autocrats and claimed the president does “not have the courage to make a deal with Putin.”
“I think that it’s a mistake,” he added, speaking to the FT about Trump’s energy-related cease-fire.
The dispute erupted after Trump announced an energy cease-fire last weekend.
Neither Russia nor Ukraine has confirmed they agreed to the terms as of Friday.
Russia has continued to shell Ukrainian cities while Ukraine reportedly struck several Russian oil refineries this week, according to the Guardian.
Peskov, a Kremlin spokesperson, said on Monday that talks were still ongoing. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov warned Zelenskyy that he did not deserve “a respite,” the AP reported.
“The negotiations are ongoing,” Peskov said when asked whether Trump and Putin had been in contact about the deal.
Trump’s Russian Diesel Deal Proves Divisive
The White House announced on October 9 that it would allow Russian diesel sales after the Treasury Department issued General License 135.
The president defended the deal, telling reporters on Monday that “anything that could help our farmers, our ranchers, I like.”
When asked about the criticism from his own political party, Trump said they “can’t really be serious,” the AP reported.
Nevertheless, 12 senators, including six Republicans, criticized the deal and on Tuesday called on Trump to rescind it.
They argued that the proposal would provide “a gift to our adversary,” the Foreign Relations Committee’s website reported.
They claimed the deal undermines the goal of Congress to impose severe sanctions on the Russian government for its aggression against Ukraine.
The letter noted that “even limited Russian revenue from energy exports will enable Putin to prolong the conflict and fund additional military build-ups.” Kyiv has previously explained that its attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure are geared at ending the Russian war effort.
Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor echoed these claims, saying “the harm to the Ukrainians is real” and “the damage to us is also considerable,” according to the AP.
Meanwhile, the war with Iran has worsened fuel shortages, hindering Trump’s efforts to lower prices.
Dispute Over Starlink Sparks Additional Tensions
Washington and Kyiv have been in a tense standoff after Starlink and Starshield services were suspended.
“The situation with the interruption of American intelligence support is extremely dangerous for us,” Zelenskyy said, according to the FT.
On Thursday, a group of nine senators demanded that a Pentagon Inspector General investigate alleged “unnecessary and unauthorized” restrictions on Starlink’s use in Ukraine, according to the Foreign Relations Committee’s website.
The Pentagon has denied deliberately restricting the intelligence service.
European Officials Call on Trump to Halt Further Sanction Rollbacks
Trump’s latest decision to loosen sanctions on Russia has angered a slew of European officials, including Sweden’s Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, who criticized the agreement on diesel fuel in a meeting with Trump in Brussels.
Kristersson also disputed whether easing economic pressure would actually improve negotiations, the Guardian reported in an article published Thursday.
“An energy ceasefire is necessary, but it must be implemented while continuing to increase pressure on Russia,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte added after reportedly meeting with Zelenskyy.
Mark Galeotti, a Russia expert, said Trump’s move was “an astonishing birthday present for Putin.”
Zelenskyy has also accused Russia of retaliating after Trump announced the controversial deal. “It is no longer a question of whether sanctions will be imposed on Russia. The sanctions should not be lifted,” Zelenskyy said in an interview with the FT.
About the Author: Georgia Gilholy
Georgia Gilholy is a journalist based in the United Kingdom who has been published in Newsweek, The Times of Israel, and the Spectator. Gilholy writes about international politics, culture, and education.
