President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine will resume strikes on Russian oil refineries despite pressure from Washington. He said Kyiv tried to take the US position into account and temporarily paused attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure, but instead faced a halt to warnings about ballistic missile strikes and restrictions on the operation of Starlink satellite communications.
Zelenskyy said this in an interview with the Financial Times.
“There are no longer any restrictions on strikes on refineries. We’ve had enough,” the president said.
Ukraine paused strikes on Russia’s energy facilities for three days to meet the wishes of the American side. At the same time, Russian forces continued to attack Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and kill civilians. As Zelenskyy noted, more than 100 people have been killed in Russian attacks over the past week.
The president claims that Ukrainian troops were left without American warnings about the threat of ballistic missiles after the pause in strikes on Russian energy facilities. At the same time, Starlink satellite internet slowed across Ukraine, complicating the actions of Ukrainian forces on the front line and medium-range strikes on Russian military targets.
According to Zelenskyy, Ukrainian troops were told by their American counterparts that if strikes on energy infrastructure continued, the US could restrict intelligence sharing. Later, the situation was explained as a technical fault.
“It wasn’t a technical problem; it was a decision,” Zelenskyy noted.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump had previously denied that Washington had stopped providing Ukraine with intelligence. Against the backdrop of the dispute over the operation of satellite systems, Elon Musk wrote on the social network X that Starshield — a military satellite network built on Starlink technologies — belongs to the US government and is under its control. The final word rests with the US president.
Kyiv Demands Security Guarantees, Not One-Sided Concessions
Zelenskyy stressed that cooperation with the United States remains critically important for Ukraine, despite the deterioration in relations between Kyiv and Washington. At the same time, he said he does not consider Ukraine responsible for the worsening of relations with the US.
Answering a question about whether Kyiv is ready to stop strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure even if Moscow continues attacks on Ukraine, Zelenskyy set a condition: in return, Ukraine must receive more US Patriot interceptor missiles for air defence.
He said this was the minimum demand he had put forward. However, in response to the request to strengthen Ukraine’s air defences, the president claims, the American side restricted Starlink’s operation.
Zelenskyy Concerned About Trump’s Willingness to Strike Deals With Russia
Zelenskyy also commented on Trump’s attitude towards Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“He (Trump — FT) openly and loudly says that he likes such people and respects such people. Because for him, people who can be leaders for 20, 30, 40 years mean they can be very strong,” Zelenskyy explained.
Separately, the Ukrainian president expressed concern about the Trump administration’s desire to conclude business and energy deals with Moscow. Zelenskyy believes such agreements could provide Russia with additional revenue to continue the war against Ukraine.
He suggested that after possible agreements on oil products, the US and Russia could move on to other energy projects.
“The question will be: when will the next deal be? Maybe it will be gas. Definitely, it will be gas,” the head of state added.
The president also said that Washington’s rapprochement with Moscow could trigger discontent within the United States itself, as Americans would have to explain why the country is doing business with a state that continues an aggressive war.
The President Said a Split Between Allies Benefits Putin
Zelenskyy also commented on Trump’s calls for his resignation. He described such statements as rhetoric which, in his view, will have no positive effect for the US but could play into Russia’s hands.
According to Zelenskyy, conflicts between Ukraine and the US, or between Europe and the United States, help the Russian leadership strengthen domestic support and create an impression of its own successes.
At the same time, he stressed that Russia is not winning the war. In his assessment, the advantage in military technologies, particularly in the field of drones, is shifting: in some periods Ukraine is stronger, in others Russia is. The president acknowledged that without American support it will be very difficult for Ukraine to continue the fight.
Among the additional challenges, Zelenskyy cited elections in European countries over the next 12 months, which could strengthen the position of political forces sympathetic to Russia. In particular, commenting on the promise by the French far-right politician Marine Le Pen to stop financial assistance to Ukraine, he said that France is also interested in supporting Kyiv.
- Zelenskyy gave the FT interview during a visit to the United Kingdom. During a meeting with the Ukrainian president in London, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham assured him of unwavering support and announced an acceleration in the delivery of British air-defence systems.