Volodymyr Zelensky’s relationship with Donald Trump reached a new low on Friday after the US president repeatedly criticised the Ukrainian president and agreed new trading deals with Russia.
In a thinly veiled swipe at Trump, Zelensky thanked the “real leaders” in Europe for their backing of Ukraine, adding it was crucial to count on support from allies who had stood by his country since the beginning of the conflict.
It came after the US president announced a new diesel deal with Vladimir Putin, US Starlink intelligence feeds were restricted in Ukraine and Trump claimed it was easier to deal with the Russian president than Zelensky.
Trump also described the Ukrainian bombing of Russia oil refineries as a “disgrace”, despite the fact that Russia has been targeting Kyiv and other cities all week after the US president’s so-called “energy ceasefire”.
Speaking a European Union summit in Brussels, Zelensky said he had heard “support and only support” from his partners in Europe after relations with the US president deteriorated. He added that Putin was only playing games and his attempts to end the war were nothing more than “parody”.
Zelensky was blindsided by Trump’s announcement that Washington would lift sanctions on Russia to trade diesel in a bid to bring down US energy prices ahead of the midterm elections next month.
"This diesel deal will never be enough to offset the impact of the Strait of Hormuz on global markets,” the Ukrainian told a press conference. “But it will put more money straight into Putin’s pocket to fund this war.”
Zelensky has also said his military advisers received threats from the US that intelligence sharing could be limited in the future, and reported on Friday that Starlink services are still not fully restored.
Ukraine’s leadership has been alarmed by disruptions to the satellite system, reporting trouble flying terminals with a vital role in intercepting Russian attacks.
A US official has denied that Trump ordered a deliberate slowdown of Starshield, and Trump said this week intelligence sharing with Ukraine continued, but Musk took to X to say any limits on the system would be controlled by the US government, not him.
It also emerged on Friday that Trump is reportedly considering lifting sanctions on Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” of oil tankers in another to the Ukrainian war effort.
A Treasury department official told the FT that the administration was considering allowing the sale of blacklisted vessels to “legitimate” operators and lifting sanctions so they could trade in the global market.
And Vladimir Putin's investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev said on Friday that Russia and the US will soon announce new joint initiatives beyond the recently agreed diesel deal.
Dmitriev said the two countries were discussing joint data centre projects, including facilities that could use electricity generated by Russian nuclear power plants.
In Brussels, Zelensky was asked by a reporter whether he believed Trump was scapegoating him for issues in the US. The Ukrainian president only looked down at his podium, grimaced and said: “That is my answer.”
Earlier, Trump hit out at Zelensky for resuming strikes on Russian oil refineries this week, after Kyiv accused Moscow of not complying with Trump’s so-called ceasefire.
“All he’s doing is making the world oil price higher. Well, I think that's a disgrace,” the US president told Newsmax.
Three people were killed in Kharkiv on Friday as Russian drone strikes continued to pound the city, while attacks elsewhere left hundreds of thousands of people without power.
Zelensky said at the EU summit that the war would likely cost Ukraine another €155bn next year, and that Kyiv would need €70bn in support from Europe.
Estonian prime minister Kristen Michal told Reuters that the EU would probably have to provide a new loan to Ukraine to help cover its budget gap for next year.
“Last winter was already hell, this one will be once again like hell,” he said. "We have a lot of gaps to fill, and this is a European mission to fill the gaps that Ukraine needs.
“Because always, at the start (and) at the end of every conversation, people need to be reminded that we are sitting in a warm room, lights are on, heating is on, the coffee is warm, and we cannot get tired of the war in Ukraine, because they are fighting ... for us.”
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