Ukraine will no longer heed US President Donald Trump’s demands to stop strikes Russian oil refineries, President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly said on Thursday, as tensions between the two leaders have spiralled over the US-Russia diesel agreement .
“I’m not sure about that, and we’ll take a look. But all I know is that Zelenskyy and Putin have to get together and end that ridiculous war.
Zelensky’s remarks come after Trump last week announced a surprise “energy ceasefire” between Russia and Ukraine. Zelensky later said he knew nothing about the ceasefire. “It’s painful when President Trump chooses one side, not our side,” he said. Later, when asked about reports that Russia had already violated the proposed ceasefire, Trump said he was not certain. He also said there had been “violations on both sides.”
Amid these developments, President Trump said on Wednesday he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin “wants to make a deal more than Zelenskyy.
Miffed with the development, Zelensky termed the deal as a “weak decision” and said it would encourage Russia to prolong its four-and-a-half-year war with Ukraine, while several of Ukraine’s European allies criticised the agreement, AFP reported. On Saturday, Trump blamed Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries for rising diesel prices and said it was “time for Ukraine to get a new president”.
