„KYIV -- Ukraine's military has paused its strikes against Russian oil refineries, people with knowledge of the operations said, after weeks of pressure from President Trump shook Kyiv's confidence in U.S. support.
The unofficial pause, which is expected to last until after the U.S. midterm elections but potentially deeper into November, began early last week at the height of a crisis in U.S.-Ukrainian relations, the people said. Days earlier, Trump had called for the removal of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Elon Musk's SpaceX had limited Ukraine's use of Starlink.
Ukraine's government hasn't announced a pause in refinery strikes. Zelensky has said Ukraine wants more protection for its own energy infrastructure -- which Russia has been systematically destroying with missile and drone attacks ahead of winter -- in exchange for holding off.
But Russia is continuing to escalate its missile and drone attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure and its military targets.
Ukrainian units involved in long-range strikes were told in mid-October that the campaign against refineries was effectively on hold, once missions already in motion were completed, said two military officials familiar with the matter.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Evgeniy Khmara told Zelensky the military had sensed it was best to hold off on refinery strikes because of the delicate diplomatic situation, said a person familiar with the matter. Zelensky said that was fine, but stressed that the military was free to hit refineries again if it chose to, the person said.
"Our guys tried to be a little more careful during these days. But they do not have an order" not to hit refineries, Zelensky said in Kyiv on Tuesday. Drone units are hitting different kinds of targets in Russia right now, he said.
Ukraine's reliance on the Starlink satellite internet service, U.S. intelligence-sharing and Patriot missile interceptors has left it vulnerable to U.S. pressure, even though Trump ended the bulk of American military and financial aid for Kyiv when he returned to the White House last year.
Trump has piled pressure on Zelensky in recent weeks to stop hitting Russian refineries, blaming Ukraine for high global fuel prices.
Energy experts say the price increases are mostly because of the war with Iran that Trump launched [1]. Republican candidates fear the fuel issue could hurt them in Tuesday's elections, and Trump has relaxed sanctions on Russian diesel in a bid to ease pressure on U.S. farmers and other consumers.
U.S. envoy Jared Kushner repeated Trump's demand to stop hitting Russian refineries at a meeting with Zelensky in Oslo on Oct. 20, said two U.S. officials. One official described the conversation as "very tough."
Kushner, who joined the meeting remotely because of an illness, told Zelensky that he should pause the strikes because he and White House envoy Steve Witkoff were dedicating a lot of time, energy, and jet fuel to mediating with Moscow, one of the U.S. officials said. A 30-day pause on refineries would be a way for Ukraine to show gratitude, that U.S. official said.
The day after the Oslo meeting, Trump called Musk and asked him to restore Ukraine's satellite service.
U.S. officials said the two issues -- Starlink and refinery strikes -- weren't in any way linked.
Ukrainian and European officials gave a more nuanced account.
Kyiv's European allies have advised Zelensky to heed the political sensitivity of energy prices as the U.S. midterms approach, senior European officials said.
Some of Kyiv's staunchest European backers were growing worried about the heated rhetoric between Trump and Zelensky and the Starlink disruption, and nudged Zelensky to pause refinery strikes until after the midterms, one of the European officials said.
On Oct. 20, Ukraine hit an oil pumping station on the Druzhba pipeline in Russia's Tambov region -- the last attack on Russian oil infrastructure until now.“ [2]
1. Of course, Iran is increasing global diesel prices also, together with Zelensky. Trump has done everything he can with Iran. With Zelensky he can do more, so he does.
2. Ukraine, Pressured by U.S., Pauses Strikes on Refineries. Walker, Marcus; Nikolaienko, Nikita; Ward, Alexander; Hinshaw, Drew. Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 30 Oct 2026: A7.
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