Government leaders

Ukraine's Zelensky defies Trump with Russian refinery strikes

France 2415 October 2026, 12:34 UTCRussia

Ukraine will no longer abide by US President Donald Trump's demands not to strike Russian oil refineries, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in remarks published Thursday, amid deepening tensions between the two leaders over a US-Russia diesel agreement. Relations between Kyiv and Washington have soured since last week, when Trump eased sanctions on Russia in exchange for Moscow releasing large amounts of diesel onto global markets. FRANCE 24's International Affairs Editor Angela Diffley tells us more.

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