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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged the United States to align unequivocally with Ukraine rather than the aggressor, demanding total partner honesty after Washington restricted vital intelligence sharing and satellite access.
Speaking in an interview published Thursday by the Financial Times, Zelensky adopted a noticeably defiant stance toward U.S. President Donald Trump, announcing that Ukraine has officially lifted its self-imposed ban on targeting Russian oil refineries.
Following a devastating wave of Russian strikes against Ukrainian power facilities on Wednesday, Zelensky declared that Kyiv was done holding back its long-range retaliatory strikes.
The policy shift directly challenges Washington after weeks of volatile policy shifts and unpredictable social media announcements from President Trump.
While Trump recently claimed a unilateral “energy ceasefire” and negotiated a diesel supply agreement with Moscow, Russian forces continued targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure uninterrupted.
Although Kyiv briefly paused its refinery strikes to comply with Washington’s demands, Zelensky revealed that U.S. officials nevertheless choked off critical military capabilities, deliberately throttling the Starshield satellite communications network and curbing early-warning intelligence feeds essential for protecting Ukrainian cities from air raids.
Addressing the broader geopolitical dynamics, Zelensky criticised Trump’s fascination with autocratic rulers, specifically pointing out Trump’s open admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decades-long grip on power.
As Russian officials reported a fresh drone strike on an oil refinery in Ryazan, south of Moscow, Zelensky emphasised that Ukraine will maintain its strategic independence to protect lives and secure a durable peace, regardless of shifting political winds in Washington.
