President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told U.S. President Donald Trump that Ukraine would stop targeting Russian oil assets for one month if Washington provides Patriot missile systems for the same duration. Zelenskyy stated that his government would secure the funding for the air defense systems and only requires approval for the deliveries, framing the pause as a trade to protect Ukrainian electricity and gas infrastructure from ongoing Russian strikes.
The proposal follows a renewed campaign of drone attacks on Russian refineries, including Lukoil’s NORSI facility and the Samara crude-pumping station, which NASA satellite imagery recently showed was on fire. While U.S. officials have expressed concern that the attacks could drive up fuel prices, Zelenskyy argued the impact on international markets is nearly zero because Russia’s current share of global oil exports is 2.2%.