Zelenskyy Defends Refinery Strikes as Trump Pushes for Ceasefire

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy defended his nation’s decision to target Russian oil refineries during an interview with ABC News, framing the military action as a necessary response to Moscow’s ongoing attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid. The comments followed sharp criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, who urged Kyiv to halt the strikes amid concerns over global diesel prices.

Speaking with “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl on October 11, 2026, Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine’s desire for peace. “I said it to President Trump … to his team and to his people several times: we want peace, we are ready for [a] ceasefire, we are ready to begin from any kind of steps of de-escalation,” Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian president proposed a direct exchange to end the refinery campaign. He stated that if Russia ceases its attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, Ukraine will stop striking Russian diesel facilities. “Don’t attack us. Don’t kill our children. We will stop attack[ing] your diesel. And I think it’s fair, fair deal,” he added. Zelenskyy also indicated that Ukraine is prepared to organize elections if Russia agrees to a 60-day ceasefire.

The diplomatic friction emerged after Trump lashed out at reporters on Saturday, accusing Zelenskyy of choosing not to end the war that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Trump argued that while Ukraine has the right to defend itself, targeting refineries exacerbates a global energy crisis. “We said you could do whatever you want to Russia, don’t hit the refineries, because that’s a world problem that’s caused,” Trump said. “He can do whatever he wants. But you can’t do that because we have a world problem. And the problem is caused by the lack of refineries for diesel fuel. So what does he do? He goes and hits refineries.”