Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday (local time) criticised US President Donald Trump over the diesel supply deal with Russia, saying Washington had chosen "the wrong side" by agreeing to import Russian fuel, while appealing to Trump to support Kyiv in its war against Moscow.
"It's painful when President Trump chooses one side, not our side," Zelenskyy said on the British show "Piers Morgan Uncensored", according to the New York Post. "But we are okay that he's in the middle. But if you're in the middle, you have to stay in the middle. Not on the wrong side."
Zelenskyy also questioned the advice Trump was receiving on the issue, saying, "I think his advisers are wrong. I don't know who is pushing him. Not to the right side; this is not the right side of history."
In the interview, Zelenskyy said the development indicated that Ukraine was losing the support of a key ally. "It is a pity that we are losing a strong partner," he said.
The Ukrainian President's remarks came after Trump announced a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin for Russia to immediately supply more than 3,00,000 metric tonnes of diesel to the United States and global markets.
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Trump has maintained that the arrangement was intended to supply diesel to the global market rather than the United States, arguing that the move would help address high energy prices.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said Ukraine had supported an energy ceasefire as a step towards de-escalation, arguing that the country needed to protect its population and infrastructure during the war.
"Our country has to survive, and we count on our real partners, strategic partners, the United States and President Trump. They wanted us not to attack. My opinion was, it is not fair; an energy ceasefire is okay, it's understandable," he said.
"It's the worst version of peace. But anyway, it's some step to peace. So de-escalation, an energy ceasefire… of course, we support it because we need our people to live, to go through this winter and to stop the war. This is what we want," Zelenskyy added.
He claimed that Ukraine had refrained from attacking energy infrastructure during the three-day period but accused Russia of continuing attacks on Ukrainian targets.
"But he said about energy ceasefire, and we didn't attack during three days -- any kind of energy objects. We didn't, not just attack, we didn't respond… They attacked us, our gas stations, infrastructure, etc.," he said.
Piers Morgan, in a post on X, shared a message urging Trump to support Ukraine, saying, "Trump, do the right thing... give this guy the support he needs to defeat the modern-day Hitler."
Earlier on Wednesday, Zelenskyy accused Russia of violating the "energy ceasefire" announced by US President Donald Trump, alleging that Moscow launched a large-scale overnight assault on Ukraine's energy and critical infrastructure, leaving at least 6,00,000 people without electricity.
In a post on X, Zelenskyy said Russian forces used ballistic missiles and attack drones to target energy facilities in Kyiv, the Kyiv region and Kharkiv, despite Trump's announcement that both Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an immediate halt to attacks on energy infrastructure.
The accusations followed Trump's October 11 announcement of an immediate "energy ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine.
In a post on Truth Social, the US President said both sides had agreed to the arrangement, though he did not provide further details about its scope or implementation.
"Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine. Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!" Trump said.
However, Zelenskyy had earlier accused Moscow of disregarding the US President's initiative, claiming that Ukraine had refrained from attacking Russian oil refineries and energy infrastructure for two days after the announcement, while Russian forces continued their assault on Ukrainian territory.
The developments have raised questions over the prospects for the energy truce announced by Trump, with Kyiv calling for stronger international pressure on Moscow and additional military assistance to protect Ukraine's infrastructure.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)