Why the Russia-Ukraine Energy Ceasefire Collapsed and How Trump and Europe Responded

An energy ceasefire declared by President Donald Trump has collapsed, and Ukraine has resumed strikes on Russian oil refineries. Trump has criticized Kyiv for the attacks, saying they push up world oil prices, according to The Guardian. European leaders, meanwhile, rallied behind Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The dispute has deepened a rift between Washington and Kyiv, and the Kremlin has accused Ukraine of undermining U.S. peace efforts.

What did Trump say about the refinery strikes?

In an interview with Newsmax that aired Thursday, Trump called Ukraine’s renewed attacks “a disgrace.” He argued that Zelenskyy was raising the global oil price. He added that there were many other targets Ukraine could hit, and that striking diesel refineries was a disservice to a world that needs diesel.

Trump also said he was not a big fan of Zelenskyy. He said he believed both leaders wanted the war to end, but found the Ukrainian president harder to deal with than Russian President Vladimir Putin.

How did the ceasefire fall apart?

Trump announced the energy ceasefire abruptly last week. According to The Guardian, neither Russia nor Ukraine said they had agreed to it. Zelenskyy later said Kyiv was abandoning the truce, and Ukraine resumed hitting Russian refineries.

Around the same time, Trump eased sanctions on Russia in exchange for Moscow releasing large amounts of diesel onto global markets. Zelenskyy criticized that arrangement, saying it would let Russia continue its full-scale invasion, which began more than four and a half years ago. The deal was widely seen as an effort to curb high fuel prices ahead of the U.S. midterm election, The Guardian reported. U.S. efforts under Trump to end the war have made no progress.

What is the Starlink dispute?

Ukraine said this week that Starlink services had been restricted, which it said hampered drone missions and key air defenses. Zelenskyy said during a visit to London that the move left him feeling personally betrayed by Trump.

British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said Thursday that his U.S. counterpart, Pete Hegseth, had assured him in person that the service had been restored. Streeting told the BBC the cause of the disruption was unclear.

How have European leaders responded?

Zelenskyy met EU leaders in Brussels on Friday. He did not comment on Trump’s latest remarks, but said he was thankful for the bloc’s support. He said Ukraine wanted the war to end as fast as possible, but that Kyiv saw no signs Russia was ready.

European Council President António Costa said Ukraine could count on the EU in the war and on its path toward membership talks. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU had backed Trump’s ceasefire but that Russia had not respected it and had escalated its attacks. She promised a 22nd round of sanctions and said: “We will not lift any sanctions unless Russia stops the war.”

French President Emmanuel Macron said it was crucial that Ukraine receive all the means necessary to protect itself. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk posted a message telling Ukrainians they were not alone.

The Guardian noted that the sanctions pledge comes weeks after the EU lifted sanctions on two prominent Russian oligarchs at the request of France and Luxembourg.

Why it matters for fuel markets and the war

The row centers on diesel, which Trump said both the U.S. and the world need. His argument is that attacks on refineries that produce it raise global oil prices. Kyiv’s critics and supporters read the sanctions-for-diesel deal differently: Zelenskyy said it helps Russia keep fighting, while the arrangement was widely interpreted as aimed at lowering fuel prices before the U.S. election.

For Ukraine, the practical stakes are also on the home front. Zelenskyy said Russia launched another drone strike on Ukrainian energy infrastructure in the city of Lutsk, causing blackouts. The Kremlin, for its part, blamed Ukraine for derailing U.S. peace efforts by resuming refinery strikes.

What happens next?

The EU has said it intends to prepare a 22nd sanctions package against Russia. No new talks between Moscow and Kyiv were announced in the reporting, and Zelenskyy said he sees no sign Russia is ready to end the war.

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Around Prague, based on reporting by The Guardian