Trump threatens to cut weapons to Ukraine if attacks on Russian energy sites continue

The United States, which broke international sanctions against Russia to strike a diesel fuel deal, has threatened to cut off weapons supplies to Ukraine unless it stops attacking Russian oil refineries, according to reports.

The Financial Times reported Sunday (local time) that Donald Trump administration officials called European governments and Ukrainian officials on Saturday and Sunday, demanding they halt attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.

Washington warned that if the demand was not met, it could cut off intelligence sharing Ukraine depends on and block access to the Priority Requirements List (PURL), a NATO-managed procurement system for US-made weapons.

Under the PURL system, Ukraine's European allies purchase US-made weapons at their own expense and supply them to Ukraine. Because the US transfers the weapons without directly bearing the cost, the Trump administration — which had been reluctant to provide direct military aid to Ukraine — accepted the arrangement as a workable compromise.

Earlier, the Financial Times reported that at talks with Ukrainian officials in Miami on Friday, the US also warned it could cut off critical battlefield intelligence unless Ukraine stopped striking Russian oil facilities.

The pressure appears to stem from a US strategy to stabilize global oil prices by increasing crude supplies from Russia, as prolonged conflicts in Ukraine and against Iran have driven up domestic fuel costs — particularly diesel. After reaching a diesel supply agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday (local time), Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that day that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an "energy truce," under which both sides would halt attacks on each other's energy infrastructure.

Almost immediately after the announcement, however, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the truce was "good news for everyone and it is important that it becomes a reality," but added that "unfortunately, all day Monday, the skies over Ukraine were filled with Russian drones." Russia pressed ahead with drone strikes on Ukraine regardless, targeting energy infrastructure including a combined heat and power plant.

Zelensky said Ukraine had proposed several steps to reduce tensions, but that Putin had simply responded with "no." "I expect him to follow through on what President Trump has said," he added.