Trump Urges New Ukraine Negotiator as Kyiv Defies Him With Strike on 12.5-Million-Ton Oil Terminal
Updated
Updated · CNN · Oct 20
Trump Urges New Ukraine Negotiator as Kyiv Defies Him With Strike on 12.5-Million-Ton Oil Terminal
3 articles · Updated · CNN · Oct 20
Summary
Trump said Zelensky "doesn't know what he was talking about" and that it was time for someone else to negotiate for Ukraine after Kyiv launched one of its biggest drone attacks of the year.
The weekend strike hit St. Petersburg Oil Terminal, which can handle 12.5 million tons a year, defying Trump's demand that Ukraine stop targeting Russian refining and energy sites.
The clash comes as Washington tries to curb record-high US diesel prices, while Trump defends sanctions waivers for Russian diesel exports as necessary to keep Moscow at the bargaining table.
Zelensky says Russia has attacked Ukraine's energy sector 76 times since Trump announced an energy ceasefire a week ago, and reported six people — including three children — killed in a Kharkiv drone strike Monday.
Despite the public rupture, Zelensky spoke with US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on Sunday and is due to meet Witkoff in Oslo, while Kyiv also complains of curtailed Starlink performance and missing US missile warnings.
Will the reported curbs on intelligence sharing and Starlink access force Ukraine into a settlement on Russia's terms?
How will Europe's defense strategy adapt as the US eases 2026 sanctions and shifts its stance on the Russia-Ukraine war?
Could the controversial US-Russia diesel agreement and potential Lukoil acquisition fundamentally alter global energy markets this winter?
October 2026 U.S. Policy Reversal: Trump’s Push for Zelensky’s Ouster, Russian Energy Deals, and the Fracture of Western Unity in the Ukraine War
Overview
In October 2026, a global energy crisis erupted after the U.S.-Israel war with Iran led to a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and major oil supply disruptions, causing oil prices to soar and fueling inflation in the U.S. Facing election pressure, President Trump demanded Ukraine stop attacking Russian refineries and called for Zelensky’s removal, then struck a unilateral energy deal with Russia and lifted sanctions on Russian diesel. This triggered U.S. threats to cut military support for Ukraine, congressional backlash, and European condemnation. The policy shift weakened Ukraine’s battlefield position, emboldened Russia, and fractured Western unity, while also prompting controversial restructuring of Russian energy assets and talk of a U.S.-Russia-China summit excluding Ukraine.