Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has declared that his country will stop attacking Russian refineries if the United States provides Patriot interceptor missiles, fulfilling a request made by US President Donald Trump. Speaking to Fox News, Zelensky confirmed he has held several conversations with the American president and his staff regarding this matter.
The proposal comes as President Trump seeks to curb inflation driven by soaring energy prices resulting from conflicts in Iran and between Russia and Ukraine. Consequently, Trump has demanded that both nations cease reciprocal attacks on each other's energy infrastructure. Zelensky explained that Ukraine cannot refrain from responding when Russia targets its energy sector and kills civilians. He stated that if the US wants Kyiv to stop striking Russian refineries, Moscow must first halt attacks on Ukraine's energy system, or alternatively, Washington must supply Patriot missiles.
Zelensky specified that if Washington provides these air defense systems for one month to intercept Russian drones and missiles, Kyiv would suspend its attacks on Russian refineries for the same duration. While the Trump administration approved the sale of 500 Patriot missiles to Ukraine last Friday, as announced by the State Department, Zelensky warned that deliveries could take years. This delay is critical as Ukrainian authorities have been sounding the alarm for weeks about the exhaustion of their own stockpiles.
To address this urgency, Zelensky proposed last week that US and European allies provide missiles directly from their existing arsenals. These weapons would then be replenished through the purchase authorized by the United States on Friday.
Sources: ANSA Mondo.