Trump criticises Ukraine’s renewed refinery strikes over global oil prices
Trump condemned Ukraine’s renewed attacks on Russian refineries, while officials said a White House order restricted Kyiv’s use of a satellite system.
Kyiv, Ukraine. US President Donald Trump condemned Ukraine’s renewed attacks on Russian refineries in a Newsmax interview broadcast on Thursday, saying they were keeping global energy prices high. His criticism followed a Ukrainian strike on a Rosneft refinery southeast of Moscow that supplies part of the capital’s needs.
Dispute over energy targets
Ukraine attacked the refinery, operated by Rosneft (ROSN.MM), after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Kyiv would no longer observe the ceasefire for energy infrastructure announced by Trump. Zelenskiy also criticised Trump’s readiness to reach agreements with Moscow.
“All he’s doing is making the world oil price higher. Well, I think that’s a disgrace,” Trump told Newsmax.
Trump argued that Ukraine could attack many other targets instead of diesel refineries. He said the world needed their output and that hitting them did not serve global interests.
Russia, meanwhile, launched missiles and drones against energy infrastructure, including power stations, leaving hundreds of thousands without electricity. Zelenskiy told the Financial Times that Ukraine had exhausted its patience.
Efforts to negotiate a ceasefire
The Trump administration has sought to broker a ceasefire to end the war, which began when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
In the Newsmax interview, Trump again said mutual hatred between Zelenskiy and Russian President Vladimir Putin complicated efforts to end the fighting. He expressed dislike for Zelenskiy and said that, although he believed both leaders wanted the conflict to end, he found the Ukrainian president harder to negotiate with than Putin.
Satellite access restricted
While Trump pressed Kyiv to stop attacking Russian refineries, Ukraine’s access to a satellite system used for battlefield communications and drone operations was reduced.
Two US officials and a Western official familiar with the matter said the instruction originated within the White House. They did not identify who made the decision there or who was responsible for carrying it out.
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