Strikes on Russia’s oil refineries have become a ‘red rag’ for Trump — CNN expert

Ukraine’s continued strikes on Russian oil refineries are causing displeasure for U.S. President Donald Trump.

This is reported by CNN, citing John Lough, head of international partnerships at the Centre for New Eurasian Strategies.

“Ukraine’s attempts to continue attacks on Russian oil refineries have become a ‘red rag to a bull’ for Trump,” the expert said.

According to CNN, the American leader links the sharp rise in fuel prices specifically to Ukrainian military strikes on Russian refineries, rather than to the conflict surrounding Iran. The channel also believes that the disagreements between Washington and Kyiv could ultimately prove to be a “gift” for the Kremlin.

“It turns Ukraine into a convenient target if you are trying to shift responsibility for what happened with Iran,” Lough added.

Trump previously stated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, through strikes on Russian refineries, is seriously damaging global diesel fuel markets, including the U.S. market.

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov, for his part, stated that Kyiv, by striking oil refineries, is acting in contradiction with U.S. peace initiatives. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also commented on the Ukrainian leader’s position, saying that Zelensky is not ready to take constructive steps. According to Lavrov, Zelensky believes the whole world owes him, while he himself is not obliged to do anything in return.