On Thursday, October 15, Volodymyr Zelensky announced the resumption of Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries, ending a pause (Le Figaro, franceinfo, RFI, Bloomberg); France 2 and Bloomberg see in it a challenge to Donald Trump. Reuters reports a fire at the Ryazan refinery after a drone attack, according to the regional governor. The day before, Kyiv had said it felt “betrayed” by Washington, notably over the agreement on Russian diesel, and denounced the limits placed on Starlink and Starshield (Le Monde, BFMTV). Elon Musk called on Volodymyr Zelensky to leave (AFP, Kyiv Post, Express Tribune). In Brussels, the Ukrainian president met NATO and EU leaders to obtain “real pressure” on Moscow (Le Monde, Daily Express), and the G7, United States included, reaffirmed its support (Le Figaro). Marine Le Pen, for her part, said she would keep aid going for six months before cutting it off if she were elected in 2027 (BFMTV, Le Figaro, France 24, Libération).
Striking the refineries targets Russia’s war economy, but exposes Kyiv to reprisals against its own infrastructure, and the resumption comes as Washington discusses a diesel agreement with Moscow and has raised the idea of unfreezing Russian assets. The issue sets allies against each other over strategy and puts Europe before the question of more autonomous support.
For a French reader, the stakes are twofold: Europe’s ability to support Ukraine if American backing shrinks, and the price of fuel, already high, which the strikes on refineries and the diesel agreement affect. On the domestic front, Marine Le Pen’s promise makes aid to Ukraine a theme of the 2027 presidential election.
For Kyiv and its backers, striking the refineries is a response to Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy, all the more so as Washington is dealing with Moscow. Édouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal judge that ending aid would mean abandoning Ukraine (BFMTV).
For those who favor negotiation, the resumption complicates the diplomatic window opened by Washington, and Marine Le Pen believes France can no longer finance Ukraine (BFMTV). Elon Musk, for his part, passes the restrictions on to the American government.
Three points to follow: Washington’s reaction to the resumption of strikes, what comes out of the Brussels talks on the pressure to put on Moscow, and Friday’s Zelensky-Magyar meeting. As long as the White House has not answered in detail, what Kyiv says about the American restrictions remains an accusation, not an established fact. Also watch whether Russia retaliates against the Ukrainian power grid.
Le Figaro · Le Monde · franceinfo · RFI · BFMTV · France 24 · France 2 · Libération · Ouest-France · Reuters · Bloomberg · AFP · Kyiv Post · Daily Express · Guardian · Financial Times (Oct. 14-15)
Ukraine: Zelensky lifts his pause on Russian refineries and calls on Brussels for “real pressure” on Moscow
After saying he had been “betrayed” by Washington, the Ukrainian president resumes strikes on Russian energy, while the Europeans and the G7 reaffirm their support. Elon Musk has called on Volodymyr Zelensky to leave; Marine Le Pen, for her part, promises to cut off aid after six months.
On Thursday, October 15, Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine was resuming its strikes on Russian refineries. “The ban is lifted, it’s over,” he said, according to Le Figaro; franceinfo, RFI and Bloomberg report the same decision, which France 2 and Bloomberg present as a challenge to Donald Trump. Reuters says a drone set fire to the Ryazan refinery, according to the regional governor. Ouest-France adds that Moscow says it was hit by strikes on a refinery in the capital, which our other sources do not confirm. In the night from Wednesday to Thursday, Russian strikes killed at least five people in several regions (Le Monde), including three in Kropyvnytskyi (Ouest-France). For its part, the Kremlin says Russia is restarting its diesel exports after the agreement reached with Washington (Reuters, single source).
The decision comes the day after Kyiv’s anger at the United States. The Ukrainian president says he feels “betrayed” (Le Monde, BFMTV) and his country denounces the limits placed on Starlink and Starshield. Kyiv also accused Washington of no longer warning it of Russian launches (RFI, franceinfo), a pulling back that Libération sums up as “Europe alone with Ukraine.” Elon Musk, who had passed the decision on to the American government, called on Volodymyr Zelensky to leave (AFP, Kyiv Post, Express Tribune); The Record writes that Kyiv considers the Starshield service restored (single source). The Financial Times reported that Washington is considering unfreezing some of the Russian assets to restart talks, which European officials refuse (FT, Reuters).
In Brussels, Volodymyr Zelensky met NATO and European Union leaders to obtain “real pressure” on Russia (Le Monde, Daily Express). The Financial Times writes that EU leaders plan to invite him to tone down his criticism of Donald Trump (single source). The G7, United States included, reaffirmed its support for Ukraine (Le Figaro), and Bloomberg says it promised €2.5 billion for fertilizer and food (single source). Wes Streeting went to plead Kyiv’s case in Washington (Guardian, Le Monde). On Friday, Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar is due to see Volodymyr Zelensky for a first official one-on-one (Le Figaro).
In France, Marine Le Pen said she would keep aid to Ukraine going for six months if elected in 2027, then cut it off (BFMTV, Le Figaro, France 24, Libération). Édouard Philippe replied that this statement was “a betrayal,” Gabriel Attal accused the National Rally candidate of wanting to “let the Ukrainians get slaughtered” (BFMTV), and Volodymyr Zelensky says she “does not have a good grasp of certain details” (BFMTV).