Things are officially highkey messy between the White House and Kyiv. After a so-called energy ceasefire—which honestly neither Russia nor Ukraine ever even agreed to—went up in flames last week, Ukraine has started targeting Russian oil refineries again. Donald Trump is not feeling the move, to put it lightly. In a Thursday interview with Newsmax, he called the strikes a “disgrace,” arguing that hitting diesel refineries is jacking up global oil prices and ultimately a major L for the world.
How we got here
The tension started brewing after Trump tried to ease sanctions on Russia in exchange for Moscow flooding the global market with diesel. The goal seemed to be cooling off fuel prices just in time for the US midterms. Zelenskyy clapped back at the deal, basically saying it just gives Russia more room to keep up its invasion. Real talk, the attempts to end the war haven't really moved the needle, and Trump is making it known he isn't exactly a fan of the Ukrainian leadership. "I think I find Zelenskyy to be more difficult to deal with than Putin,” Trump told Newsmax.
The Starlink drama
The plot thickens with reports that Starlink services—the backbone of Ukraine’s drone missions and air defense—were suddenly restricted earlier this week. Zelenskyy said the move left him feeling personally betrayed by the White House. While British defence secretary Wes Streeting says US counterpart Pete Hegseth promised the system is back online, it’s giving major instability vibes.
Global reactions
While the US-Ukraine connection is looking a little tragic, European leaders are stepping up. Zelenskyy has been in Brussels hitting up meetings with Nato chief Mark Rutte and EU leaders. French president Emmanuel Macron and Polish prime minister Donald Tusk are both doubling down on their support, reminding Kyiv that they aren't alone in this. Meanwhile, as the diplomatic back-and-forth continues, the actual conflict is still brutal; Zelenskyy reported that Russia hit energy infrastructure in Lutsk, causing more blackouts.
Why it matters
This diplomatic fallout signals a massive shift in the US-Ukraine relationship. With the midterms coming up and Trump signaling frustration with the status quo, the future of American support for Ukraine is becoming increasingly uncertain, forcing European allies to reconsider their own roles in the defense effort.
