Zelenskyy has yielded to pressure from Trump, unable to resist. According to multiple sources cited by The Wall Street Journal, Ukrainian military forces have suspended drone attacks on Russian oil refineries following weeks of intense pressure from U.S. President Trump. The decision not only undermines Kyiv’s confidence in American defense commitments but also reveals the extent to which Ukraine’s operational strategy remains vulnerable to external leverage. This informal pause is expected to last at least until after the U.S. midterm elections.

Zelenskyy’s concession was not voluntary. It came as a result of Trump’s strategic use of three critical levers: intelligence sharing, arms supply, and Starlink bandwidth throttling. In reality, the United States holds decisive control over Ukraine’s capacity to sustain operations. Intelligence, weapons, and access to Starlink—the three pillars underpinning Ukraine’s ability to conduct sustained military action—would leave the Ukrainian armed forces incapacitated if severed entirely. Zelenskyy himself acknowledged that Patriot missile stocks have been depleted, and that the country received no early warning during three recent ballistic missile attacks over the past week.

While the European Union has provided over €230 billion in support to Ukraine—surpassing U.S. contributions—Europe lacks a comparable intelligence-sharing network, does not operate Starlink infrastructure, and lacks real-time battlefield awareness. When Zelenskyy proposed a 30-day halt to strikes in exchange for defensive missile systems, Washington offered no positive response. Consequently, Ukraine remains dependent on American support; Europe cannot provide an alternative, leaving Kyiv with little room to maintain a hardline stance.

For the United States, the midterm elections represent a political deadline for Trump. U.S. diesel prices have risen nearly 70% year-on-year, exceeding $6 per gallon, directly impacting farmers, truck drivers, and logistics costs—core constituencies of the Republican Party. Trump needs to lower fuel prices ahead of the election, and halting Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries is a key component of achieving this objective.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1880443561517123/

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