The conflict between Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, and Donald Trump, the President of the United States, over attacks on Russian oil refineries has turned into one of the most severe crises in Washington-Kyiv relations. Zelensky, who previously sought to maintain his relationship with Trump, has now openly opposed his requests and announced that Ukraine's voluntary restrictions on attacking Russian energy facilities have ended.
Diesel Agreement and New Tensions
One of the main factors exacerbating the disagreements is Trump's agreement with Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, to supply diesel to the global market. This agreement allows Russia to supply 4.8 million tons of diesel despite sanctions. At the same time, Trump has asked Ukraine to halt its attacks on Russian oil refineries, attacks that harm Russia's revenues.
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Zelensky has previously called this agreement "weak" and told Trump that he has betrayed Ukraine. These statements led Trump to once again call for Zelensky's resignation. The President of the United States has also demanded new presidential elections in Ukraine.
Suspension of Information Exchange and New Threats
The verbal clash between the two presidents has been accompanied by practical pressures from the U.S. on Ukraine. Zelensky has stated that Kyiv has not received important information regarding the threat of Russian ballistic missile attacks. He claims that American sources warned that if Ukraine continued its attacks, Washington would cut off military information exchange.
The Trump administration has denied the intentionality of the information exchange suspension, citing adverse weather conditions. Zelensky has rejected this explanation, stating that the action was deliberate. Additionally, the temporary reduction in the range of the Starlink satellite network, which Ukrainian forces depend on, has raised further concerns.
Despite the escalation of these disagreements, Zelensky and some American senators are seeking a way to reach an agreement. Republican senators Roger Wicker and Kevin Cramer have suggested to Zelensky that Ukraine temporarily halt its attacks on Russian refineries. Zelensky has agreed to this proposal, but the future of this agreement remains uncertain.
Meanwhile, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, emphasized the EU's full support for Ukraine and stated that pressure on Russia will continue. Zelensky has also warned that if Ukraine fails, up to 20 million of its citizens may flee to Western countries.
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