EU leaders have also pushed for an increase in support for Ukraine. Alamy
Ukraine
The US president has eased restrictions on Russian energy as he grapples with an oil crisis sparked by the war in Iran, further straining relations with Ukraine.
US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump signed an executive order on Friday that waived sweeping US sanctions and tariffs targeting Russia’s energy revenues, marking a new low in Washington’s ties with war-torn Ukraine.
The move came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged EU leaders to keep financing Kyiv’s fight with €70 billion more next year, insisting he was standing up for his country as Trump’s support slumped.
The Lindsey Graham Act – named after the deceased US senator who sponsored the bill – had allowed Trump the authority to impose duties up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil and gas.
The legislation, which Trump signed into law last month, targeted Russia’s energy and defence sectors, President Vladimir Putin and other senior officials, as well as Moscow’s so-called shadow fleet of tankers used to circumvent Western sanctions.
Trump’s reversal on the Russia sanctions comes after he struck a deal with Putin to ease sanctions on Russia in exchange for Moscow releasing large amounts of diesel into global markets.
The US president’s war in Iran has sparked crippling oil shortages and price spikes, creating major headwinds for his Republican Party ahead of midterm elections next month.
Asked if he was being made a scapegoat for Trump’s domestic woes ahead of the vote, Zelenskyy just smiled.
“This is my answer,” he told journalists in Brussels, after an extended pause.
In another sign of strained relations between the United States and Ukraine, Trump branded Kyiv’s actions a “disgrace” after Zelenskyy ordered his forces to resume strikes on Russian refineries.
“I defend the interests of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people exclusively,” Zelenskyy said after talks with EU leaders.
The breakdown between Trump and Zelenskyy has fuelled fears that the US leader is siding with Moscow.
Those concerns have been heightened by disruptions to a critical US-provided satellite system that has hampered Ukraine’s ability to counter Russia’s intense bombardments.
Ukraine uses technology from Elon Musk’s SpaceX for battlefield communications, but the tech billionaire – a virulent Zelenskyy critic – said his company was not behind the disruption, while a US official denied any intervention by Trump.
‘Increase pressure’
European leaders put on a show of unity with Zelenskyy as he grappled with Trump.
“This is no time to withdraw the support to Ukraine. This is no time to relieve Russia’s sanctions,” European Council chief António Costa said.
“Now it is time to increase our support, to increase our pressure.”
Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten said that “the situation in Ukraine is currently truly dire, with numerous Russian attacks and a tense relationship between Ukraine and the US.”
“It is crucial that we, as Europe, demonstrate our unconditional support for them today — and explore what additional steps we can take,” he said.
Zelenskyy asked the bloc – Ukraine’s biggest international backer – to provide more Patriot missiles to shoot down Russian missiles and come up with an extra €70 billion in support next year to help Kyiv keep fighting.
The war will cost 155 billion euros next year. And we need at least 70 billion euros more from you – for defense, for weapons, and for our resilience. This is a realistic amount. And I ask you to find this support. It will help us hold Russia back. There are some very simple facts. We stop most Russian assaults on the front line thanks to drones. We cut Russian supply lines with these technologies. And our drones are helping to weaken Russia’s economy. Right now, we could produce two or three times more drones – depending on the type. But we simply don’t have enough money for that. It’s true. Just imagine if we could put two or three times more pressure on Russia than we do today. From an address to the participants of the European Council meeting. (4/5)
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 16, 2026
Ukraine has been struggling to shoot down Russian missiles and has been left scrambling to boost defences ahead of winter, when temperatures can plummet to as low as -20C and Moscow’s attacks threaten electricity, heating and water systems.
Russian strikes on the southern cities of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia killed a 64-year-old man and at least 17 people, including an 11-year-old girl, Ukrainian authorities said Saturday.
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen confirmed that Zelenskyy’s €70 billion plea “has to be covered” and urged partner countries to “step in” and help.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Kyiv’s backers will analyse the demand, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the European Union will discuss it before the end of the year.
The EU is currently paying out instalments of a €90 billion loan for Kyiv that was set to help cover funding to the end of 2027.
But Ukrainian authorities have warned they will still face a major budget black hole as Russian strikes have battered the country’s economy.
The talks on new funding have reignited calls for the EU to tap around €200 billion in frozen Russian central bank assets to fund Ukraine.
“The frozen assets are there. That’s what should be used for supporting Ukraine,” said Latvian premier Andris Kulbergs.
But there seems little momentum on that front as Belgium, where most of the funds are held, remains opposed.