Zelensky says Ukraine has right to defend itself after Trump criticism

Zelensky Defends Ukraine’s Position as Dispute With Trump Deepens

Ninoda.com – President Volodymyr Zelensky has insisted that Ukraine must protect its own interests after Donald Trump described him as harder to negotiate with than Russian President Vladimir Putin. Speaking during a European Union summit in Brussels, Zelensky linked the disagreement to US-Russian diesel trade and Ukraine’s renewed attacks on Russian oil facilities.

The Ukrainian president said he could not simply accept an arrangement that allowed the United States to import diesel from Russia, particularly if it could later lead to a gas agreement.

“If I don’t stand up to this… who else will do this?”

Zelensky arrived in Brussels alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa. He thanked what he called Europe’s “real leaders” for continuing to back Ukraine as the country prepares for another winter of war.

Energy strikes and a disputed ceasefire

The latest tension centres on strikes against Russian oil refineries. Trump condemned the attacks as “a disgrace” and argued that they were contributing to higher global oil prices. His concern follows a US agreement with Moscow to import diesel, intended to ease fuel costs in America.

Washington’s frustration has increased since the war with Iran began in February, a conflict that has sent US fuel prices, particularly diesel prices, sharply higher. Trump is seeking to address the issue ahead of next month’s mid-term elections.

Ukraine had initially supported Trump’s announcement last week of a ceasefire covering energy infrastructure. Kyiv said it would halt attacks if Russia also stopped. Moscow, however, said it had never accepted such an agreement, while Russian attacks continued. Zelensky said Ukraine resumed its operations after three days because Russia had not observed the proposed pause.

“Of course we supported President Trump’s energy ceasefire but we’ve seen that Russia did not respect it, not a single minute,”

Von der Leyen made those remarks before the Brussels meeting, adding that sanctions against Russia needed to be strengthened. The episode has underlined the difficulty of negotiating partial pauses in a conflict where both sides accuse the other of rejecting or violating commitments.

Ukraine seeks support before another winter

The EU gathering focused on financial help for Ukraine and measures to help the country withstand the fifth winter since Russia began its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Energy security remains a central concern because repeated attacks have damaged vital civilian systems.

Von der Leyen told Zelensky that Russia was attempting to wreck Ukraine’s energy and water networks, while pledging that European support would continue through the coming cold season.

“Russia is trying everything to destroy the energy and water infrastructure,”

Zelensky said Ukraine wanted the conflict to end as soon as possible, but argued that Russia was showing no comparable willingness. He said the required winter package extended beyond power supplies and heating, encompassing defence assistance and funding as well.

“That’s why we have to prepare for the winter. A winter package is not only energy, it’s also defence and funding,”

The urgency was reinforced by overnight attacks. Several people were killed in a Russian drone strike on Kharkiv in north-eastern Ukraine, while local authorities in the western Volyn region said strikes had left about 270,000 households without electricity. Emergency workers were also seen searching through rubble after a drone attack in the Rivne region.

Washington-Kyiv relations under pressure

Trump’s comments in an interview with Newsmax reflected the increasingly strained relationship between his administration and Kyiv. He said he was not a strong supporter of Zelensky and questioned whether the Ukrainian leader wanted a settlement.

“He doesn’t want to settle. He says he wants to settle, but he doesn’t.”

Trump also pointed to the deep personal hostility between Zelensky and Putin as an obstacle to ending the war.

“As you know, Putin hates Zelensky, and Zelensky hates Putin. And when you have that kind of hatred, it’s very hard to get something settled.”

The Kremlin later endorsed Trump’s claim that Zelensky did not want to reach an agreement with Russia. Kyiv has made the same allegation in reverse, arguing that Moscow has not demonstrated a genuine commitment to peace.

Zelensky nevertheless said he hoped US and Ukrainian negotiators would soon meet “at one level or another.” The prospect of continued dialogue remains important for Ukraine, which depends heavily on international political, financial and military support even as it seeks to maintain its own negotiating position.

When asked at the end of the summit whether Trump was treating him as a scapegoat for domestic political difficulties, Zelensky paused for about 15 seconds before smiling. The gesture drew laughter from journalists before he offered a brief reply.

“This is my answer.”

The exchange captured the wider challenge facing Ukraine: sustaining European backing, preserving its ability to defend itself and keeping channels open with Washington while disagreements over energy, military operations and the path to a possible settlement become more pronounced.