U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration is said to have exerted diplomatic pressure on Kyiv, after which Ukraine temporarily suspended strikes on oil refineries in Russia.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the decision was made around mid-October and could remain in effect until after the U.S. midterm elections, scheduled for November 3.
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Despite these reports, a new attack on the Novokuibyshevsk refinery in Russia was reported in the early hours of Friday, sparking a fire. Volodymyr Zelensky has not officially confirmed that the strikes have been halted, but has signaled that Ukrainian forces are acting more cautiously.
During the October 20 meeting in Oslo, Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and envoy, asked Zelensky to halt all strikes for 30 days as a gesture of gratitude for the United States’ diplomatic engagement.
U.S. sources said the talks were tense. Earlier, Trump had said that the diesel deal between the United States and Russia was reached after Zelensky refused to comply with U.S. demands to halt strikes on Russian refineries.
It was reported that several European countries supporting Ukraine also advised authorities in Kyiv to consider the potential political impact of energy prices in the United States ahead of the midterm elections. Before Friday’s incident, the most recent reported attack on Russian oil infrastructure had taken place on October 20, when a pumping station on the Druzhba pipeline in the Tambov region was hit.
The strike on the Novokuibyshevsk refinery caused a fire, according to media reports. The attack was reported after a break of more than two weeks without strikes on Russian refineries.
Meanwhile, Russia continues its attacks on Ukraine. RBC-Ukraine reported that a ballistic missile attack on Kyiv on Thursday evening left at least one person dead. Several warehouses caught fire after the bombardment, while missile debris fell in the courtyard of a residential complex. It was also reported that one apartment was damaged.
Authorities in Kyiv have not yet officially confirmed reports that Ukraine has suspended its strikes on Russian refineries, leaving the situation unclear.
