U.S. helps Ukraine strike Russian oil refineries – Financial Times

U.S. President Donald Trump deepened American support for Kyiv following his July conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, amid growing frustration in the White House over Russia.

According to Ukrinform, the Financial Times, which cites informed sources, reported the news.

One indication of this deepened support has been the transfer of U.S. intelligence to Kyiv.

Through the sharing of intelligence data, the United States has for several months been assisting Ukraine in conducting long-range strikes against Russian energy facilities, including oil refineries far beyond the front line.

U.S. intelligence is helping Kyiv, in particular, to plan routes, altitudes, timing, and mission parameters that enable Ukrainian long-range strike drones to evade Russian air defense systems.

One U.S. official said that, initially, Ukraine selected the targets for its long-range strikes, after which Washington provided intelligence regarding vulnerabilities at those sites.

According to the source, the United States has also identified priority targets for the Ukrainians, adding that Ukrainian drones have become a “tool” for Washington to weaken Russia’s economy and push Russian leader Vladimir Putin toward a negotiated settlement of the war.

The intelligence sharing marks a new indication that President Trump has deepened his support for Ukraine as his disillusionment with Russia grows.

This shift occurred after a July phone call between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, during which the U.S. president asked whether Ukraine could strike Moscow if Washington provided long-range weapons.

As reported by Ukrinform, on Saturday, October 11, U.S. President Donald Trump discussed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky the potential transfer of Tomahawk long-range missiles to Ukraine.

Photo: Office of the President