As Ukraine resumed attacks on Russian oil refineries, US President Donald Trump branded the strikes a “disgrace” and warned they were helping push global energy prices higher.
In remarks that sharpened his criticism of Kyiv’s leadership, Mr Trump also took aim at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, arguing the Ukrainian leader was less inclined than Russian President Vladimir Putin to accept a compromise to end the war.
“It should end soon. I think they actually both would like to see it end,” Mr Trump said in an interview with broadcaster Newsmax.
“But I think I find Zelensky to be more difficult to deal with than Putin.”
Those comments came as Mr Zelensky, facing a period of weakening ties with Mr Trump, travelled to Brussels to meet NATO chief Mark Rutte and hold a series of bilateral talks with European leaders, ahead of his planned participation in an EU summit today.
Mr Zelensky told The Financial Times that the pause in strikes on Russian refineries was “done”, saying Moscow was not abiding by a ceasefire on attacks targeting energy infrastructure that had been announced by Mr Trump.
