Trump Criticizes Zelensky Over Russian Oil Refinery Strikes, Ukraine Says It Will Pause If Moscow Stops

President Donald Trump publicly rebuked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for ordering attacks on Russian oil refineries, calling the moves counterproductive. Trump’s comments came amid ongoing conflict between Kyiv and Moscow, where Ukraine has targeted energy infrastructure to weaken Russia’s war effort.

Zelensky responded that Ukraine would halt the refinery strikes if Russia ceased its own attacks on Ukrainian energy sites. He framed the pause as a reciprocal measure, emphasizing that Kyiv’s actions are tied to Moscow’s behavior on the battlefield.

The exchange highlights differing strategies within the Western alliance on how to pressure Russia while managing the broader geopolitical fallout of targeting civilian-linked facilities.