Zelenskyy told the Financial Times that he had scaled back the attacks for three days at Washington’s request, while Russia continued targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
He said he had agreed to suspend strikes on energy facilities, following an announcement by US President Donald Trump on Sunday, on the condition that Russia also respected the arrangement.
However, Zelenskyy accused Russia of continuing its attacks just hours after the plan was announced, leaving hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians without electricity. The Russian president’s office did not announce that it had agreed to the arrangement.
Zelenskyy also accused the United States of suspending intelligence-sharing arrangements that warn Ukraine of incoming Russian attacks in an effort to pressure Kyiv into permanently halting strikes on Russian oil refineries.
He said US officials had told their Ukrainian counterparts that intelligence support would be withdrawn if Ukraine did not stop the attacks. Trump has denied suspending intelligence-sharing.
Ukraine’s military relies on intelligence to detect incoming air attacks and prepare defences. It also uses Starlink internet services to guide drones and support air defence operations.
On Tuesday, speed restrictions were imposed on drones using Starlink. Zelenskyy said the move was deliberate rather than the result of a technical problem.
Elon Musk said the systems were controlled by the US government, adding that decisions to restrict their speed or use were made by the US military, with Trump having the final say.
Russia said Ukraine had attempted a major attack on the Ryazan oil refinery, south of Moscow. Its Defence Ministry said it had intercepted four missiles and numerous drones, with falling debris triggering a fire.
Zelenskyy said he would halt attacks on Russian oil facilities only if the United States supplied Ukraine with Patriot air defence missiles.
He also criticised a US-Russia agreement to supply 300,000 tonnes of diesel to the American and international markets, arguing that the deal would help Russia generate revenue to sustain its war effort.
During a visit to London on Wednesday, Zelenskyy also met British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who announced that the United Kingdom would accelerate the delivery of lightweight, multipurpose missiles to Ukraine. European leaders also expressed their support for Kyiv.
