Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that his country would stop striking Russian refineries, as US President Donald Trump has demanded, if Washington provides Kyiv with Patriot interceptor missiles. In an interview on the US network Fox News, Zelensky said he had held "several different conversations" with the US president and his team on the subject.
Trump, facing inflation driven largely by surging energy prices amid the conflict in Iran and the war between Russia and Ukraine, has demanded that both countries stop attacking each other's energy sites.
"We said that we cannot not respond when Russia attacks our energy sector, when Russia kills our people," Zelensky said. "We said that if you want us not to attack Russian refineries, then they must not attack our energy system. Another option: give us Patriot missiles."
Zelensky said that if Washington supplied these air-defence systems, used to intercept Russian drones and missiles, for one month, Kyiv would halt its attacks on Russian refineries for the same period. Asked whether he feared this would be seen as an attempt to "pressure" the Republican president, the Ukrainian leader said no. "I have no concern when I share the truth among partners," he said.
The Trump administration approved the sale of 500 Patriot missiles to Ukraine on Friday, according to the State Department. Zelensky, however, warned that deliveries could take years, even as Ukrainian authorities have for weeks warned that their stocks are running out.
Last week, Zelensky suggested that US and European allies could supply Ukraine with missiles from their own stockpiles, to be replenished afterwards through the purchase authorised on Friday.
Also on Sunday, the longest truce since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 came to an end in the Kherson region, according to Ukrainian officials. The pause had been in place since Tuesday and ended after Russia refused a proposal to extend it. Talks mediated by the United States are due to resume in November, after being halted when the United States and Israel launched their joint attack on Iran in February.
Sources: Le Figaro.