KYIV — Ukraine will no longer abide by US President Donald Trump’s demands not to strike Russian oil refineries, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in remarks published today, amid deepening tensions between the two leaders over a US-Russia diesel agreement.

Relations between Kyiv and Washington have soured since last week, when Trump eased sanctions on Russia in exchange for Moscow releasing large amounts of diesel onto global markets.

Zelensky described the deal as a “weak decision”, saying it would encourage Russia to prolong its four-and-a-half-year war with Ukraine, while several of Ukraine’s European allies criticised the agreement.

Addressing the criticism on Saturday, Trump claimed Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries were to blame for rising diesel prices and said it was “time for Ukraine to get a new president”.

“The block (on attacking refineries) is out,” Zelensky told the Financial Times in an interview published today. “We’re done.”

Trump had announced on Sunday a surprise “energy ceasefire” between Russia and Ukraine, which Zelensky said he knew nothing about.

And earlier this week, Ukraine reported disruptions to a critical US satellite communications system that its army uses on the battlefield.

“We need HONESTY from our partners about this war,” Zelensky wrote on social media today.

In an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan yesterday, Zelensky agreed that he felt “betrayed” by Trump’s diesel-supply deal with Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

He also questioned the advice that Trump was receiving, after senior Ukrainian officials in Kyiv openly accused the US of helping Russia.

“It’s painful when President Trump chooses one side, not our side,” he said.