Arabic version: زيلينسكي يدافع عن ضربات المصافي بعد انتقادات ترامب

According to BBC News, President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was “only standing up for Ukraine’s interests” after US President Donald Trump called Ukraine’s renewed strikes on Russian oil refineries a “disgrace”. Speaking at an EU summit in Brussels, Zelensky said he could not accept a US deal with Moscow to import diesel, warning that a gas agreement could follow. “If I don’t stand up to this… who else will?” he said.

Trump said Zelensky was “more difficult to deal with than [Russian President Vladimir] Putin” and criticised the refinery attacks, saying they could raise world oil prices. The diesel arrangement is set to send 300,000 tonnes of diesel to “the American and global marketplace”. Trump said he was “not a big fan of Zelensky” and accused the Ukrainian leader of not wanting to settle the war.

Ukraine resumed refinery strikes after a three-day pause. Trump had announced a ceasefire on energy facilities, while Kyiv said it would halt attacks if Russia did the same. Moscow said it had never agreed to the arrangement and continued attacks, according to the report. Zelensky said the diesel deal would “put more money straight into Putin’s pocket to fund this war”.

EU leaders rallied around Zelensky in Brussels, where funding and Ukraine’s winter needs were central issues. Zelensky told the European Council the war would cost €155bn (£131bn; $174bn) next year and that at least €70bn was needed from the EU for defence and weapons. He also cited a shortage of US-made Patriot missiles and said Ukraine could produce up to three times more drones but lacked the money.

Tensions have also risen over restrictions on the US-owned Starlink network. Zelensky called a Tuesday-night slowdown a “very dangerous and unpleasant surprise” and said speeds had not fully recovered. The slowdown coincided with deadly Russian strikes, while officials reported several people killed in a drone strike on Kharkiv on Thursday night.