WASHINGTON: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that his country would stop hitting Russian oil refineries — a key demand of US President Donald Trump — if Washington provided Kyiv with powerful Patriot interceptor missiles.
Trump, battling inflation at home driven in large part by soaring energy prices fueled by his war on Iran and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, has demanded the European foes stop attacking each other’s energy sites.
Speaking to US broadcaster Fox News on Sunday, Zelensky said he had had “different and several” conversations with Trump and his team about the issue.
“We asked that we can’t not respond after Russia’s attack on our energy, after Russia is killing our people, attacks on our electricity, gas, refineries, on everything,” he told Fox News host Trey Yingst.
“We said that if you want us not to attack Russia’s refineries, they have not to attack our energy system. Another alternative, give us Patriot missiles, we will find money, not just aid.”
Zelensky said if Washington provided the missile systems for one month Kyiv would cease attacks on Russian refineries for the same period.
Patriot missiles are among the most important weapons Ukraine has to intercept Russian drones and missiles.
Asked if he was concerned that this would be seen as trying to “leverage” Trump, Zelensky answered in the negative.
“I don’t have any concerns when I share the truth between partners,” he said.
The Trump administration on Friday green-lit the sale of 500 Patriot missiles to Ukraine, the State Department said, but the Ukrainian president warned deliveries could take years.
Ukrainian authorities have been warning for weeks that their supplies of the interceptor missiles were dwindling.
Last week Zelensky suggested that US and European allies could give his country missiles from their stockpiles, which would later be replenished by the new purchase authorized Friday.
The longest truce of the Ukraine war, limited to the eastern Kherson region, ended on Sunday after Russia refused the offer of an extension, Ukrainian officials said.
US-mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine are set to resume this month, having been effectively frozen since the United States and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran in February.
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