Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has explained his decision to resume drone strikes on Russian oil refineries, citing Russia's repeated attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure that have killed civilians and caused widespread power outages. Ukraine had briefly paused those strikes after President Trump announced an energy ceasefire, but Zelenskyy says Russian attacks on Ukraine's power facilities did not stop. He pointed to earlier talks with Trump and his team, in which he proposed two alternatives to continued refinery strikes: mutual restraint on energy targets by both sides, or Patriot air defense systems, which Ukraine has offered to purchase.

The dispute carries real weight in Washington, where officials have pressed Kyiv to stop hitting Russian refineries, arguing that a pause could help bring down soaring fuel prices. Zelenskyy has pushed back, saying high prices stem largely from the war in the Middle East, and he stressed that he wants open communication with US partners as Russian missile and drone attacks continue across Ukrainian regions. The exchange shows how both countries are now hitting each other's energy facilities, with civilians on both sides feeling the effects. Whether Washington will supply the Patriots, whether Moscow will stop its strikes on Ukraine's grid, and whether the White House will accept this approach are all still unanswered.