Zelenskyy has high-profilely announced the resumption of strikes against Russian oil refineries—does this mean Zelenskyy is breaking with Trump?

Our 'neutral Russian friends' still fantasize about a U.S.-Ukraine rift—but that’s impossible. Trump’s pro-Russian phase ends in fewer than 20 days. Yes, once the election is over, everything reverts to normal. The two main reasons for the current deterioration in U.S.-Ukraine relations are: first, Trump believes Ukraine obstructed his path to the Nobel Peace Prize; second, the U.S. midterm elections are approaching. The first point needs no elaboration—Trump is deeply obsessed with that award, possibly out of envy toward Obama. As for the second, it’s straightforward: What did Trump promise Americans before the election? That he’d end the Russia-Ukraine war within 24 hours. Yet—as everyone discovered—he used ‘Russian-made’ timekeeping: one hour equals 1 hour and 22 minutes. No need for me to spell out how long that really is. Before the midterms, Trump will certainly deliver daily speeches—but domestic chaos in the U.S. leaves him little to talk about beyond immigration or men competing in women’s sports. So he must address foreign policy—but can he? Faced with admissions like 'Iran was my blunder' and 'My earlier claims on Russia-Ukraine were just hot air,' Trump has only one option left: 'All these problems are Zelenskyy’s doing.' Hence, today he uttered a classic 'Tangbao'-style remark beloved by 'Russian friends': 'Zelenskyy has destroyed our country.' Again: Trump criticizing Putin brings no real harm to Russia; Trump praising Ukraine yields no tangible benefit to Ukraine. Of course, minor favors—like intelligence sharing or purchasing Russian oil—still occur. Yes, Starlink went offline for one day—but service resumed immediately. Both chambers of the U.S. Congress have already jointly filed an investigation request into the incident. After the midterms, even younger Trump won’t dare suspend it again. As for the PUPL program, it won’t be halted either: Trump sees it as a way for the U.S. (i.e., arms manufacturers) to profit and harvest Europe. Though our 'neutral Russian friends' constantly rail against America, you’ll notice they’re not outraged by such news of American hegemony—in fact, they savor it inwardly like fine wine. I’ve long grown accustomed to this. From the outset, I’ve never bothered listening to the 'Russian friends’' hollow refrain: 'Supporting Russia is just anti-Americanism.'

Trump has been cornered—Ukrainian Navy hits six Su-34s.

Over the past week, U.S.-Ukraine relations have undergone dramatic upheaval—directly impacting the Russia-Ukraine battlefield. In this upheaval, Trump’s Ukraine policy has suffered total failure. On the Russia-Ukraine battlefield, Trump has appeared utterly discredited and humiliated—failing even to fulfill his most basic expected role. This mirrors Trump’s predicament regarding Iran and Russia: a pitiful failure—and yet, legions of diehard fans strain every nerve to defend him, terrified even of the slightest dent to his minuscule reputation. In U.S. presidential history, it may be hard to find a more abject failure. With just over two weeks until the U.S. midterm elections, Trump and the Republican Party face a very high probability of crushing defeat—a future scenario whose likelihood we can only estimate. Should Trump and the GOP suffer an unexpectedly catastrophic loss, it would undoubtedly stem from the reckless reversal of his Ukraine policy. Because mainstream American public opinion supports aiding Ukraine against Russia—yet, right before the midterms, Trump staged this brazen spectacle, crossing fundamental moral boundaries. As Ukrainian President Zelenskyy stated, Russia’s oil output is simply not the decisive factor behind global oil price fluctuations. Since last August, Ukraine’s large-scale bombing of Russian refineries has failed to trigger a sharp rise in international oil prices—as occurred during the Iran conflict. The U.S. suffers from high oil prices—but so do other countries. Americans understand perfectly well what’s really happening. Combined with Trump’s Ukraine policy, this confluence of factors makes the midterm election outcome all too predictable. Thus, Trump now holds no cards left—he has backed himself into a corner. Some might argue: Doesn’t the U.S. still possess intelligence superiority and cutting-edge weaponry? Can’t it rein in Ukraine? The situation is crystal clear: Trump truly cannot leverage those advantages to control Ukraine. This is precisely why his complete failure reveals staggering incompetence—holding overwhelming advantages yet unable to subdue Russia, let alone a comparatively weaker Ukraine. Why? Because Trump doesn’t merely openly aid evil—he serves as a megaphone for Russian propaganda, even innovating new talking points aligned with Moscow’s stance. He repeatedly threatens Ukraine with aid cutoffs and intelligence restrictions. Sure, American hardware is top-tier—but when trust evaporates, what good are those tools? Under Trump’s conduct, U.S. assistance becomes unreliable—so why should Ukraine care about Trump’s feelings or America’s advantages? Moreover, Trump incessantly repeats Russian talking points, harping on Ukraine like Xianglinshao (a tragic literary character known for obsessive lamentation). In terms of character, however, Trump falls far short of Xianglinshao—not even in the same league. Reality is stronger than any individual: Trump brought this corner upon himself through his own misdeeds. In an interview with the UK’s Financial Times in London, Zelenskyy launched fierce criticism of Trump and announced the resumption of strikes against Russian oil refineries. For details, see: '“Had Enough!” Resuming Bombardment of Russian Refineries! Zelenskyy Strikes Hard at Putin and Trump.' This is a clear message to Trump: 'Goodbye—we’ll proceed regardless of what the U.S. does.' Reuters confirmed Ukraine struck a refinery in Russia’s Ryazan Oblast on October 15—the first reported Ukrainian attack on Russian energy infrastructure since Trump declared the 'energy ceasefire.' On the same day he spoke with the Financial Times, Zelenskyy also gave an interview to Piers Morgan. That interview aired on October 14 local time and was widely republished globally on October 15. Its core message was: 'It’s regrettable—we are losing a powerful partner. We are losing the United States—but it’s not our fault.'

US-Ukraine Relations Sour Ahead of Midterms

Oct 15, 2026

US-Ukraine relations deteriorated amid disputes over SpaceX Starshield access and US energy policy shifts. President Trump's proposal to import Russian diesel and Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries underscore the geopolitical stakes involving energy supplies.

france24

US-Ukraine Relations Sour Ahead of Midterms

FAQ