Zelenskyy defies Trump over hits on Rus sian oil and slams loss of US intel li gence

 Financial Times UK 16 Oct 2026

 Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Ukraine was “done” with any block on attack ing refiner ies in Rus sia, hours before Kyiv hit a Rus sian oil pro duc tion facil ity. In a defi ant inter view with the FT, the Ukrain ian pres id ent expressed anger over a “dan ger ous” with drawal of US intel li gence and sim ul tan eous weak en ing of Starlink satel lite inter net ser vice as he lam basted Don ald Trump’s appar ent admir a tion for Rus sia’s Vladi mir Putin. Asked to explain their rela tion ship, Zelenskyy said the US pres id ent had an instinct ive affin ity for auto crats and the super wealthy. “He speaks about it openly and loudly that he loves such people and he respects such people. Because for him, people who can be lead ers 20 years, 30 years, 40 years, it means they can be very strong.” The Ukrain ian leader’s blunt assess ment startled EU lead ers who will meet Zelenskyy in Brus sels today and urge him to mod er ate his rhet oric dur ing closeddoor talks, three offi cials briefed on the sum mit pre par a tions told the FT.