“More difficult to work with Zelensky than with Putin”: Trump calls Ukraine’s resumption of strikes on Russian refineries a “shame”

Donald Trump judged Thursday that Ukraine's resumption of strikes on Russian refineries was a "shame", once again raising the tone against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“I think it’s a shame,” the American president declared to the Newsmax channel, which questioned him about the announcement of this resumption earlier in the day. “There are many other possible targets,” he added. “I think it is more difficult to work with Zelensky than with Putin,” he said.

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“All that” Volodymyr Zelensky does “is to drive up world oil prices,” attacked Donald Trump, against a backdrop of renewed tensions between Washington and kyiv, who expressed concern about the sustainability of American support, or even aid from the United States towards Russia.

Earlier Thursday, Volodymyr Zelensky told the Financial Times that the truce on Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries was “lifted,” defying Donald Trump's announcement of an energy truce for which Moscow had not agreed.

“When you hit diesel refineries, (...) you are doing the world a disservice,” insisted Donald Trump. “Zelensky is not the right guy for us to find an agreement,” the American president further denounced to Newsmax: “He says he wants to find an agreement, but he doesn't want to. I don’t like him very much.”