Zelensky Annoyed by Request from US Vice President

During the Munich Security Conference (held from February 17 to 19), US Vice President Kamala Harris made a secret request to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, asking him to refrain from attacks on Russian oil refining facilities, as this could lead to a rise in global energy prices and provoke 'aggressive retaliation' from Russia, according to American officials. The Washington Post (WP) reported this, citing informed sources.

The newspaper's interlocutors noted that this request angered Zelensky, and he 'rejected the proposal.' At that time, according to WP, the Ukrainian president was unsure whether Harris was relaying a unified stance from President Joe Biden's administration. However, Washington subsequently reinforced this warning in multiple conversations with Ukrainian authorities. Specifically, the issue of attacks on Russian oil refining facilities was discussed during US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's visit to Kyiv, the sources clarified.

Despite this, Kyiv has intensified its attacks on Russian energy and refining facilities, which 'has exacerbated the already tense relations,' WP reports. The newspaper reminds that attacks on oil refining facilities occur at a time when Biden is ramping up his reelection campaign, and global oil prices are hitting six-month highs. 'The rise in energy prices could weaken European support for assistance to Ukraine,' a senior US official stated.

At the same time, proponents of the Ukrainian strategy have accused the White House of prioritizing domestic politics over Kyiv's military objectives. 'I think Biden's administration does not want gasoline prices to rise in an election year,' said Senator Tom Cotton (Republican-Arkansas) during hearings with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin last week. In response, Austin noted that Ukraine 'is better achieving tactical and operational goals that can directly affect the current struggle.'

Experts consulted by WP noted that Ukrainian drone attacks on oil refining facilities are very limited and cannot entirely stop the operations of these plants. Since the beginning of the year, several oil producing regions in Russia have been targeted by drone strikes. Only in March, incidents were reported by authorities in Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Oryol, Ryazan, Rostov, Leningrad, and other regions.

Amidst this, gasoline prices at exchanges in Russia rose in mid-March. Bloomberg described the attacks on Russian oil refining facilities as one of the factors contributing to the rising oil prices in the global market. Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Energy reported that the situation with fuel supply to the regions and prices at gas stations is stable, and there are no risks of rising motor fuel costs.

Financial Times, citing its sources, reported on March 22 that the US has urged Ukraine to halt attacks on Russian oil refining facilities, warning that this could provoke a rise in oil prices and lead to retaliatory measures from Moscow. After this, President Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia would prefer the US to ask Ukraine to refrain from 'terrorist activities, primarily against peaceful social facilities and residential buildings.'

At the end of March, Zelensky admitted that the US was dissatisfied with the strikes on oil refining facilities in Russia, emphasizing that these were carried out using Ukrainian drones. 'No one can tell us that we cannot [use them],' he added. He described these strikes as a response to Russia's attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, which lacks the necessary air defense measures to protect its facilities.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on April 11 that Russia is forced to respond to Ukraine's strikes on its energy facilities. 'Based on humanitarian considerations, no strikes were made in winter, as we did not want to leave social institutions, hospitals, and so on without energy supply. However, after the strikes on our energy facilities, we had to respond,' the head of state noted.