Ukraine resumes strikes on Russian oil refineries as anger mounts with Trump
Key Points:
- Ukraine has resumed attacks on Russian oil refineries after a brief pause prompted by former President Donald Trump's unilateral "energy ceasefire" announcement, accusing Russia of repeatedly violating the truce with attacks on Ukraine's power grid.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed frustration and accused the U.S. of withdrawing critical support, including intelligence sharing and restrictions on the Starlink internet service, which Ukraine relies on for defense against Russian drone and missile attacks.
- The disruption of Starlink satellite terminals, reportedly influenced by Elon Musk and U.S. military decisions, has coincided with a surge in Russian drone attacks on Ukraine, further hampering Ukrainian defense capabilities.
- Trump's easing of sanctions on Russian diesel exports and public criticism of Zelenskyy have fueled concerns in Ukraine and Europe about the reliability of U.S. support and potential pressure on Kyiv to make concessions in peace talks.
- Zelenskyy described the reduction in U.S. intelligence assistance and Starlink support as "dangerous" and said fighting without U.S. backing would be "very difficult," expressing feelings of betrayal over recent U.S. actions.