The comments, delivered to Newsmax, followed a strike on a Rosneft facility in Ryazan, which accounts for 5% of Russia’s total national refinery throughput. Trump argued that such operations serve no tactical purpose, instead inflating global oil prices and hindering essential diesel production. He further distanced himself from the Ukrainian leadership, stating he finds President Zelensky more difficult to negotiate with than Vladimir Putin.

This escalation arrives despite a brief, unconfirmed ceasefire attempt earlier in the week. While the lull proved short-lived, with Russian forces continuing their own strikes, President Zelensky signaled a shift in strategy by confirming the resumption of drone operations. The return to targeting refineries complicates an already fragile global energy supply chain. Trump maintained his stance that the war must conclude, asserting that both sides are increasingly motivated to find an exit, even as his personal friction with Kyiv’s administration grows more apparent.