Ukraine has not complied with US President Donald Trump’s demand to stop attacks on Russian oil refineries, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov has stated. According to him, Trump has been and remains insistent on this issue, but Kiev “disobeyed once again” and ignores his position.
“Yes, once again they disobeyed and, I would say, they simply ignore even him. Although Trump has been insistent on this issue and continues to be, they do not obey,” Ushakov told Vesti journalist Pavel Zarubin.
The statement came after a report of a night drone attack on the Novokuibyshevsk refinery in the Samara region (in the photo). Russian regional authorities reported a fire at the facility, and Ukrainian drone manufacturer Fire Point confirmed the strike on the plant using the FP-1.
Recall that the day before, The Wall Street Journal, citing sources, reported that Ukrainian military personnel in mid-October had effectively suspended strikes on Russian refineries after weeks of pressure from Trump. The unofficial pause, according to the publication, could last until the US midterm elections on November 3 and, possibly, deeper into November.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Yevhen Khmara, according to the WSJ, recommended that Zelensky temporarily refrain from strikes due to the delicate diplomatic situation. Zelensky agreed, but emphasized that the military retains the right to resume attacks if they deem it necessary.
“Our guys tried to be a little more cautious these days. But they do not have an order not to attack oil refineries,” Zelensky told journalists in Kiev.
Trump in recent weeks has demanded that Kiev stop strikes on Russian refineries and linked them to rising global fuel prices. Energy experts, however, mostly explain the rise in price by the ongoing US conflict with Iran.
On October 20, at a meeting with Zelensky in Oslo, US special envoy Jared Kushner repeated the demand to suspend strikes. According to the WSJ, the conversation was “very tough,” and Kushner proposed a 30-day pause as a way to show gratitude to the US for mediating negotiations with Moscow.
