Zelenskyy Rejects U.S. Demand, Declares Resumption of Attacks on Russian Refineries

[Financial News]  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy officially declared that he would no longer comply with the Trump administration’s demand to halt attacks on Russian refineries. 
In an interview with the Financial Times (FT) on the 15th local time, President Zelenskyy said, “The restrictions are over,” and announced he would lift the suspension of strikes on Russian energy facilities. Shortly after the interview, a fire broke out at an oil refinery in Russia’s Ryazan region following a drone attack, and a Ukrainian official confirmed that Ukraine was responsible.
President Zelenskyy made no attempt to hide his disappointment and anger toward President Trump in the interview. He described Russian President Vladimir Putin as “absolute evil” and criticized Trump, saying, “I can’t understand how President Trump can be friendly with him. This is an obvious mistake.”
Tensions between the two countries peaked recently when President Trump announced that an agreement had been reached to immediately import Russian diesel fuel to stabilize prices in the United States. Trump then unilaterally declared an “energy truce” and even called for President Zelenskyy to step down. Ukraine opposed the move but temporarily halted its attacks, while Russian shelling of energy infrastructure continued.
Ukraine said the United States had threatened to stop sharing critical military intelligence if Ukraine did not halt its attacks on Russian refineries. Indeed, when a Russian missile strike on the 14th left 600,000 people in Kyiv without power, Ukraine said it had received no advance warning from the United States.
Access for high-speed-moving devices on the military Starlink network—which is a key communications system for Ukraine’s armed forces and is paid for by the U.S. Department of Defense—was also restricted. This is seen as pressure from the U.S. administration intended to weaken Ukraine’s ability to intercept drones.
In an interview with British broadcaster Piers Morgan, President Zelenskyy also said, “It’s regrettable that we’re losing a strong partner,” and noted, “The United States is not on the right side of history.”
President Zelenskyy’s decision carries significant political risks, as the possibility that President Trump could retaliate by completely cutting off aid to Ukraine cannot be ruled out. Mariya Zolkina, an analyst at a Ukrainian think tank, said, “With the cautious approach used so far no longer working, Zelenskyy has made a high-stakes move,” adding that “he has effectively sent the United States a clear message that he will continue striking refineries.”

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