Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has revealed that international partners are pressing Kyiv to curb its aggressive strikes on Russian energy infrastructure amid a strained global fuel market. However, the Ukrainian leader remains steadfast, insisting that his military will only halt these operations if Moscow agrees to stop bombing Ukraine’s own power grid.
In a WhatsApp audio message shared with reporters, Zelensky framed Ukraine's deep-strike campaign as a strictly proportional retaliation.
"We have received messages from some of our partners asking about how our responses against Russia's oil sector - the energy sector - can be reduced," Zelensky stated. "If Russia is ready not to strike Ukraine's energy, then we'll respond by not attacking theirs."
While Zelensky refrained from explicitly naming the nations making these requests, the diplomatic pressure coincides with a highly volatile global energy market. Fuel prices have spiked worldwide due to escalating conflicts in the Middle East—most notably Tehran's effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. This global squeeze recently prompted the United States to temporarily loosen certain sanctions on Russian oil exports.
Kyiv's long-range drone strikes have already dealt significant blows to Russia's lucrative energy sector. Zelensky recently claimed that a highly targeted Ukrainian operation at the Ust-Luga port near St. Petersburg successfully knocked out 60% of the facility's oil export capacity.
Meanwhile, the domestic energy situation in Ukraine remains dire following relentless Russian bombardments that have previously plunged more than a million civilians into freezing darkness. With its domestic refineries severely damaged, Kyiv now relies heavily on imported fuel routed through allies like Poland, Lithuania, Greece, and Turkey. A previous supply line from Hungary has been effectively severed amid diplomatic squabbles between Kyiv and Budapest.
Zelensky addressed these ongoing challenges following a strategic diplomatic tour of the Gulf, which included stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan. During the trip, he successfully secured vital fuel supplies to sustain the Ukrainian military.
Additionally, Zelensky proposed a strategic technology exchange with Gulf nations currently facing Iranian aerial threats. Drawing parallels to Ukraine's hard-won success in breaking Russia's naval blockade on Black Sea grain exports, he suggested that Kyiv's battle-tested drone and maritime expertise could prove invaluable to international efforts aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz.