Zelensky says unnamed 'partners' asked Ukraine not to attack Russian oil refineries

Prefer on Google by Asami Terajima, The Kyiv Independent news desk President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks alongside France's President Emmanuel Macron (not pictured) to members of the media prior to their meeting at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris, France, on Sept. 3, 2025. (Antoine Gyori - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images) President Volodymyr Zelensky said that his country's "partners" asked Ukraine not to attack Russian oil refineries, without naming which countries or how the request was communicated. Speaking to journalists at a closed-door briefing on April 8, Zelensky admitted that such requests were made at "various levels," from the political to the military leadership. Outmanned and outgunned on the front, Ukraine continues to target Russian oil refineries and other infrastructure supporting Russia's war efforts using domestically produced long-range drones. Zelensky's comment comes shortly after Presidential Office Head Kyrylo Budanov told Bloomberg in an interview published in early April that Ukraine's foreign allies have asked Kyiv to pause its drone attacks on Russian oil refineries as the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran drives up fuel prices worldwide. Oil prices have skyrocketed amid the escalating war in Iran , which is in its sixth week. Energy facilities in the Middle East have been targeted throughout the conflict, while Iran has also shut down the Strait of Hormuz — a key waterway through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supply transits. "During the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, our partners sent different messages to various countries whose actions could influence the situation," Zelensky said. "Some were asked to increase production, others to increase transit capacity, and we were asked to reduce our strikes—that is, our responses to Russian attacks. Because they believed this would affect energy prices." The request appears to have gone unheeded — most recently on April 7, the General Staff said Ukraine struck Russia's Ust-Luga oil terminal in Leningrad Oblast overnight, damaging key infrastructure used to export petroleum products. While the direct impact of such attacks on the Russian army's performance on the battlefield is difficult to assess, Ukraine continues to try grinding down the bigger foe's resources from afar.