Zelensky defends Ukraine’s position as dispute with Trump deepens
Constantvpn.com – Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has defended his government’s actions amid increasingly sharp criticism from US President Donald Trump, saying his responsibility is to protect Ukraine’s interests while the country remains under Russian attack.
Speaking during a European Union summit in Brussels, Zelensky addressed growing tensions with Washington over Ukraine’s strikes on Russian oil facilities and a recent US agreement to import diesel from Russia. He said he could not accept an arrangement that might later extend to Russian gas.
“If I don’t stand up to this… who else will do this?”
Zelensky arrived alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa. He thanked European partners whom he described as “real leaders” for continuing to back Ukraine during the war.
Energy strikes and a disputed ceasefire
The disagreement centres on attacks against Russian oil refineries. Trump has criticised Ukraine for restarting the strikes, calling them “a disgrace” and arguing that they contribute to higher global oil prices.
Last week, Trump unexpectedly announced a ceasefire covering energy infrastructure. Kyiv said it was prepared to halt such operations if Moscow did the same. Russia, however, said it had not agreed to the proposed arrangement, while attacks on Ukrainian targets continued.
After three days, Zelensky said Ukraine would resume its refinery attacks, arguing that Russia had not observed the supposed pause. Von der Leyen backed that assessment before the Brussels meeting.
“Of course we supported President Trump’s energy ceasefire but we’ve seen that Russia did not respect it, not a single minute,”
She added that sanctions on Russia needed to be strengthened. Her comments highlighted the central European position that Ukraine cannot be expected to limit its defensive options while Russian forces continue attacking civilian infrastructure and energy systems.
Trump’s frustration with the refinery campaign is linked to its economic consequences. Russian refinery strikes can affect Moscow’s ability to export diesel, including supplies intended for the United States under the recently agreed deal. The arrangement was intended to help reduce fuel costs in the US after diesel prices rose sharply during the war with Iran, which began in February.
Winter support remains central to EU discussions
European leaders also focused on how to help Ukraine withstand another winter under wartime conditions. It will be the fifth winter since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Ukraine’s energy and water networks have repeatedly been targeted, leaving communities vulnerable to disruptions in electricity, heating and essential services. Von der Leyen told Zelensky that Europe would continue assisting Ukraine through the cold season, as it had in previous years.
“Russia is trying everything to destroy the energy and water infrastructure,”
She said Europe would stand with Ukraine and continue its support. Zelensky stressed that winter assistance involves more than repairing electricity networks. He said Ukraine also needs military protection and reliable financial support to keep the country functioning.
“That’s why we have to prepare for the winter. A winter package is not only energy, it’s also defence and funding,”
He said Ukraine wants the war to end as quickly as possible, but argued that Russia has shown no clear willingness to reach that outcome. The comments reflected Kyiv’s continuing view that negotiations cannot succeed without meaningful pressure on Moscow and sustained support for Ukraine’s defence.
Russian attacks continue across Ukraine
Fighting and long-range attacks continued while the summit was under way. Several people were killed in a Russian drone attack on Kharkiv in north-eastern Ukraine. In the western Volyn region, strikes left about 270,000 households without electricity, local governors said.
Such attacks underline why the condition of Ukraine’s energy grid has become a major issue for European leaders. Damage to generation, transmission and water facilities has implications far beyond immediate power outages, particularly as winter approaches and households depend on heating and basic public services.
Relations with Washington face a difficult period
Trump’s public remarks have added to strain between Kyiv and Washington. In an interview with Newsmax on Thursday evening, he said he was “not a big fan of Zelensky” and described the Ukrainian president as difficult for the United States to deal with.
“He doesn’t want to settle,”
Trump said, adding that Zelensky claims to seek an agreement but does not. He also pointed to the hostility between Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“As you know, Putin hates Zelensky, and Zelensky hates Putin,”
Trump said. He argued that such animosity makes a settlement harder to achieve. The Kremlin later endorsed Trump’s claim that Zelensky did not want a deal with Russia, an accusation Kyiv has repeatedly made against Moscow.
Despite the deteriorating tone, Zelensky said he hoped Ukrainian and American negotiators would soon be able to arrange a meeting at some level. That leaves open the prospect of further talks even as differences over energy policy, military operations and negotiations remain unresolved.
At the end of his Brussels news conference, Zelensky was asked whether he believed Trump was turning him into a scapegoat for domestic political difficulties. He paused for about 15 seconds before smiling, drawing laughter from journalists in the room.
“This is my answer,”
The moment captured the uneasy balance Ukraine now faces: maintaining its defence against Russia, securing European support for another harsh winter, and trying to preserve a working relationship with an American administration that has become openly critical of Kyiv’s choices.
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