Zelensky rallies European allies after defying Trump over Russia strikes

In a recent interview on the right-wing channel Newsmax, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he perceives Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a more challenging negotiator than Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with Zelensky, claiming that the Ukrainian leader does not want to reach a settlement and often contradicts his own statements.

The president criticized Ukraine's ongoing strikes on Russian oil refineries, deeming it detrimental to global fuel prices and suggesting there are more suitable targets for retaliation. Trump also questioned the legitimacy of Ukraine's political situation, stating that there is no public support for Zelensky among the Ukrainian people due to the ongoing war.

Despite expressing belief that the conflict will end soon, Trump acknowledged the difficulties arising from the inherent animosity between Zelensky and Putin. On October 9, Trump agreed with Putin to supply Russian diesel fuel to both American and global markets, a move that drew criticism from Ukraine and Europe. On October 11, the U.S. president announced a truce in the energy sector between Russia and Ukraine.

However, Zelensky denied having any prior knowledge of the truce, alleging that it came as a surprise to him. On October 15, Zelensky confirmed that Ukraine resumed strikes on Russian oil refineries after three days of suspension, citing Russia's non-compliance with the truce. Russian authorities assert that Ukraine never ceased its strikes.