Trump calls Zelensky ‘not a good guy’, says Ukraine President harder to deal with than Putin

US President Donald Trump denounced Ukraine's recent strikes on Russian oil refineries, branding the action a "disgrace" and suggesting the Ukrainian government was exacerbating global energy costs. During an interview with Newsmax on October 15, Trump stated, "Well, I think that's a disgrace." Meanwhile, Russian forces continued their assault on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

Energy experts believe that Trump's decision to resume Russian diesel exports won't substantially alleviate fuel prices, as the primary catalyst for the surge has been the ongoing conflict between the US and Israel in Iran, which has disrupted oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump reiterated his disdain for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, contending that he found Zelensky more challenging to negotiate with than Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"It should end soon. I think they actually both would like to see it end," Trump said. "But I think I find Zelensky to be more difficult to deal with than Putin."

Zelensky announced that Ukraine would no longer halt attacks on Russian refineries, citing Moscow's persistent strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities despite a ceasefire declared by Trump. "The block [on attacking refineries] is out. We're done," Zelensky told the Financial Times. Kyiv had temporarily paused refinery attacks following Washington's request, but Russian forces continued launching missiles and drones against Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure, leaving hundreds of thousands without electricity.

The situation has further strained relations between Kyiv and Washington in light of Trump's agreement with Putin to ease restrictions on Russian diesel, a move criticized by Zelensky as providing economic relief to Moscow while its invasion persists. On Thursday, Zelensky met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels and engaged in discussions with European leaders ahead of the EU summit on Friday, seeking sustained military and political assistance for Ukraine.

Zelensky argued that any cessation of attacks on Russian refineries must be accompanied by an end to Russia's strikes on Ukraine's power grid, rather than a unilateral restriction on Ukraine's defensive actions. "Don't attack us. Don't kill our children. We will stop targeting your diesel," Zelensky stated in an October 11 interview with ABC News, outlining Ukraine's stance on a reciprocal energy ceasefire.