Ukraine launched a new wave of missile and drone strikes against Russian oil refineries on Tuesday, ending a short‑lived pause that had been agreed after a U.S.‑led push for an "energy ceasefire." President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the resumption, saying the country was "done" with the truce and accusing the United States of betraying Kyiv's expectations.
Background to the energy ceasefire
In early April, the White House under former President Donald Trump pressed Kyiv to suspend attacks on Russian refining capacity in exchange for a pledge that Moscow would halt its own strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Kyiv complied, temporarily scaling back its long‑standing campaign against Russian fuel sites that had been a cornerstone of its strategy to erode Russia’s war‑fighting ability.
Zelensky's defiance and renewed strikes
During an interview with the Financial Times, Zelensky expressed “overt frustration” with the United States and said the pause had left Ukraine vulnerable while Russian forces continued to bombard Ukrainian power plants. "We are done with the energy ceasefire," he told reporters, adding that Kyiv would resume targeting Russian refineries to protect its own energy security. The New York Times reported that Zelensky’s decision was driven by a sense of betrayal after the United States failed to deliver on promised protections.
"It is a disgrace," President Donald Trump said, describing Ukraine’s renewed attacks on Russian oil facilities.
Trump, who has repeatedly framed the conflict in terms of personal diplomacy, labeled the strikes “a disgrace” and said Zelensky was “more difficult to deal with than Putin,” according to multiple outlets including The Guardian and Reuters. The president’s remarks came during a press briefing where he rejected any further Ukrainian offensives against Russian energy sites.
Russian retaliation
Within hours of Kyiv’s renewed assault, Moscow launched swarms of drones targeting critical infrastructure in central Ukraine, including power substations and fuel depots. Russian state media described the attacks as a direct response to Ukrainian aggression, a claim echoed by the BBC, which reported that Russia accused Kyiv of violating the ceasefire.
Ukrainian officials, citing the Department of Defense, said the drone barrage caused limited damage and did not disrupt the national grid, but they warned that continued Russian strikes could force Kyiv to expand its own targeting of Russian energy assets.
The escalation comes as both sides seek to leverage energy infrastructure for strategic advantage. Analysts noted that while the United States has not issued a formal response beyond Trump’s comments, the resumption of strikes could complicate any future diplomatic initiatives aimed at limiting civilian energy damage.
Both governments have signaled that the conflict over energy targets will remain a central, if volatile, front in the war. As the fighting intensifies, the international community watches closely for its impact on global oil markets and regional energy security.
