President Volodymyr Zelensky defended Ukraine's strikes on Russian oil refineries on Friday after Donald Trump called them a "disgrace" and said the Ukrainian leader was harder to deal with than Vladimir Putin.
Trump, who recently brokered a deal to import Russian diesel to lower US fuel prices, objected to Kyiv's targeting of Russian energy infrastructure. The strikes threaten Moscow's ability to complete the diesel shipment to America. Trump told Newsmax he was "not a big fan of Zelensky" and that the Ukrainian president "doesn't want to settle."
Zelensky rejected Trump's criticism during an EU summit in Brussels. "I am only standing up for Ukraine's interests," he said. He expressed anger over the diesel deal, calling it a gift to Putin that would fund the war. He added: "If I don't stand up to this... who else will?"
The tensions reflect a sharp deterioration in the US-Ukraine relationship. Russia had not agreed to Trump's proposed ceasefire on energy infrastructure strikes announced last week. After three days without Ukrainian attacks, Kyiv resumed strikes when Russia continued its own energy strikes.
Zelensky's frustrations extend beyond the diesel deal. Earlier this week, restrictions placed on Starlink, the US-owned satellite internet network critical to Ukraine's military operations, prompted deadly Russian strikes with no prior warning. Zelensky called the slowdown "a very dangerous and unpleasant surprise" and said speeds had not fully recovered by Friday.
The Trump administration has warned it could withhold intelligence sharing if Ukraine does not stop targeting Russian oil refineries. Trump's motivation for the diesel deal stems from fuel price concerns affecting his political standing before next month's US midterm elections.
At the EU summit, European leaders rallied around Zelensky. He told them the war would cost 155 billion euros next year, with at least 70 billion euros needed from the EU for defence and weapons. Ukraine lacks sufficient funds to triple its drone production capacity, he said. A critical shortage of US-made Patriot missiles compounds Kyiv's defensive challenges as it faces its fifth winter since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.