Trump criticises Ukraine’s refinery strikes after Zelensky’s betrayal accusation
Donald Trump condemned Ukraine’s renewed attacks on Russian oil refineries, calling them “a disgrace” and saying they were pushing up global energy prices. The strikes resumed after Volodymyr Zelensky accused Trump of betrayal over reduced US intelligence sharing and disruption to Starlink services, and said Ukraine would no longer hold back while Russia continued targeting its infrastructure.
A Ukrainian drone strike sparked a fire at a major refinery in Russia’s Ryazan region on Thursday, the first reported attack on an energy facility since Trump announced an energy ceasefire on Sunday. Zelensky had paused strikes for three days, but said the ceasefire was not being matched by Russia. The Ryazan refinery accounts for nearly 5 per cent of Russia’s oil refining capacity; Russia retaliated with a drone strike on a supermarket in Odesa region, injuring three people.
- Trump called Ukraine’s renewed refinery strikes a disgrace.
- Zelensky resumed attacks after a three-day pause.
- A strike hit a refinery responsible for nearly 5 per cent of Russia’s refining capacity.
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Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has become a prolonged war involving attacks on military targets and infrastructure in both countries. Oil refineries process crude oil into fuels, so damage to them can disrupt supplies and affect energy prices.
Volodymyr Zelensky is Ukraine’s president, and Donald Trump is the US president. The United States has provided Ukraine with military and other support, including intelligence, while Russia’s oil industry is an important source of revenue for its government.
Attacks on energy sites are part of a wider dispute over how to limit the war’s effects and whether both sides are observing pauses in fighting. They can also have consequences beyond the battlefield because changes to fuel supplies and prices may affect other countries.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Ukraine can argue that strikes on refineries are a proportionate way to weaken the resources sustaining Russia’s invasion, especially if Russia continues attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure and the announced pause is not reciprocated. From this perspective, Kyiv should not be expected to restrain its defence while Russian forces remain free to strike, and refinery operations have direct strategic value to Moscow.
The case against
The strikes risk escalating the conflict and harming civilians, while damage to major refineries could disrupt energy markets and raise costs beyond Russia. Trump’s position can be framed as an attempt to preserve an energy ceasefire and limit those wider consequences; critics of the attacks may also argue that continuing them after a pause was announced makes negotiations harder, even if Ukraine says Russia did not comply.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Trump declares renewed Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries ‘a disgrace’ and blames them for pushing up global energy prices – after Zelensky condemned US president’s ‘betrayal’”.