Trump accuses Zelensky of destroying Ukraine as dispute over oil deepens
US President Donald Trump has accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of destroying his country and obstructing efforts to end the war with Russia, escalating tensions between Washington and Kyiv over Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil facilities.
On Thursday, October 15, Trump criticised Zelensky’s willingness to negotiate with Moscow and said he was more difficult to deal with than Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump also called Ukraine’s decision to resume strikes on Russian oil refineries a «disgrace», arguing that attacks on energy infrastructure were contributing to higher global fuel prices.
The remarks followed Kyiv’s withdrawal from a US-backed arrangement to suspend attacks on energy facilities, which Zelensky said Russia had repeatedly violated.
Ukraine resumes strikes after ceasefire breaks down
On October 15, Ukrainian forces targeted a Russian oil refinery in the Ryazan region, ending a brief suspension of attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.
Zelensky said Ukraine had initially agreed to halt such strikes at Washington’s request but could no longer maintain the arrangement while Russia continued attacking Ukrainian power facilities.
Russia has continued missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure despite Trump’s announcement of an energy ceasefire earlier this month. Moscow has also threatened to retaliate for the renewed Ukrainian strikes.
Russian diesel deal widens rift between Trump and Zelensky
The latest confrontation follows Trump’s October 9 announcement of an agreement with Putin to resume Russian diesel supplies to the US and international markets.
Under the arrangement, Russia agreed to release an initial 300,000 tonnes of diesel, followed by additional shipments in November and subsequent months.
Washington also temporarily eased restrictions on Russian diesel exports, with the suspension reportedly lasting until April 7, 2027.
Trump has defended the decision as a way to address rising fuel prices. However, Zelensky has criticised the agreement, arguing that additional energy revenue could help Moscow finance its invasion of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian president said he felt betrayed by Washington’s decision and accused Trump of giving Putin a political victory.
Relations have deteriorated further following reported restrictions on Ukraine’s access to US intelligence and the SpaceX-operated Starshield satellite communications system.
According to Reuters, US and Western officials said the order to limit Ukraine’s access to the system originated within the White House. The restrictions reportedly affected Ukrainian military operations before access was restored.
Trump has also suggested that Ukraine should replace Zelensky with a leader more willing to negotiate a settlement with Russia.
The proposal has drawn criticism from US lawmakers and European allies, who have warned that easing pressure on Moscow could undermine efforts to end the conflict.
