---
title: "\"We do plenty already\": US sets tough condition for Ukraine over strikes on Russia"
description: "US special envoys demanded Ukraine stop strikes on Russian refineries in exchange for lifting diesel sanctions, stating Washington already does enough."
date: 2026-10-13T06:14:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/us-sets-tough-condition-ukraine-strikes-russia
tags: [us-ukraine-relations, donald-trump, oil-refinery-strikes, geopolitics, steve-witkoff]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# "We do plenty already": US sets tough condition for Ukraine over strikes on Russia

![Meeting between US diplomats and the Ukrainian delegation regarding refinery strikes](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/13/ssha-postavili-ukraine-us-ovie-iz-za-udarov-po-npz/ssha-postavili-ukraine-us-ovie-iz-za-udarov-po-npz-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- The US demanded Ukraine stop strikes on Russian oil refineries
- Washington unexpectedly suspended sanctions on Russian diesel fuel
- The American special envoys' trip to Russia was postponed
- The conflict became the biggest crisis in Kyiv-Washington relations recently

Relations between Washington and Kyiv have faced a severe crisis amid demands from the American administration to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries. During a closed meeting at the elite Shell Bay golf club, US President Donald Trump’s special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, held tough negotiations with Ukrainian and European officials. According to reputable media outlets, the American side unexpectedly announced the suspension of sanctions on Russian diesel fuel while simultaneously demanding that Kyiv completely halt attacks on Russian oil processing facilities.

### The Essence of the Ultimatum and Reactions

In response to the demand to halt strategically vital strikes on Russian refineries, the Ukrainian delegation naturally inquired about what guarantees or reciprocal steps Kyiv would receive. However, representatives of the US administration took an uncompromising stance, stating that the United States is already doing a tremendous amount and does not intend to trade it for halting the attacks. As their main argument, Washington cited intelligence assistance, which is of critical importance for Ukrainian forces on the frontline. This rhetoric provoked mixed reactions among meeting participants. Multiple sources confirmed that some attendees perceived the words of the American emissaries as a veiled threat to cut support in case of disobedience. The situation is further complicated by the fact that, according to informed sources, US President Donald Trump is deeply angered by the ongoing Ukrainian attacks, making future developments entirely unpredictable.

### Contradictory Data

While Ukrainian and European participants of the six-hour talks regarded the tough statements from American representatives as direct pressure and an ultimatum, an anonymous US official categorically denied any hints of abandoning support for Kyiv. Nevertheless, the diplomatic crisis has already led to real consequences: the planned trip of Witkoff and Kushner to Russia has been postponed until Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy repairs his personal relationship with Donald Trump. Furthermore, discrepancies remain regarding the Kremlin’s readiness for a real dialogue, as parallel statements from US and Russian authorities concerning diesel supplies and peace initiative prospects differ significantly.

### Context of Peace Talks and the Economic Factor

Beyond the disputes over infrastructure strikes, the six-hour meeting at Shell Bay focused on developing a concept for future peace talks. The parties discussed in detail the issues of control over disputed territories and the prospects of Ukraine’s integration into the European Union. Notably, during the discussions, Steve Witkoff interrupted the session for a direct phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, emphasizing the complex multilateral nature of the current diplomatic game. Against this backdrop, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak announced a potential increase in diesel fuel exports by the end of the year, which has already caused global prices for this resource to drop by 5–6%, creating new economic realities for all conflict participants.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- ["Мы и так много делаем": в США поставили Украине жесткое условие из-за ударов по России](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/mi-y-bagato-robimo-ssha-postavili-ukrayini-1791871871.html) - Основной источник информации о встрече в Shell Bay и жестких требованиях США.
- [Уиткофф и Кушнер перед переговорами с Украиной встретились с Трампом: что известно](https://24tv.ua/geopolitics/ru/vitkoff-kushner-vstretjatsja-predstaviteljami-ukrainy-evropy_n3157702) - Контекст встреч спецпосланников Трампа с украинской и европейской делегациями.
- [Уиткофф и Кушнер сообщили о новой готовности России к переговорам, – СМИ](https://www.unian.net/politics/peregovory-mezhdu-ukrainoy-i-rossiey-predstaviteli-ssha-zayavili-o-gotovnosti-kremlya-k-dialogu-13492995.html) - Данные о позициях сторон относительно мирного диалога.
- [Виткофф и Кушнер проведут две сессии переговоров](https://korrespondent.net/ukraine/4909412-vytkoff-y-kushner-provedut-dve-sessyy-perehovorov) - Детали переговорного процесса американских эмиссаров.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Why did the US demand an end to strikes on Russian refineries?
**A:** Donald Trump's administration seeks to de-escalate and is trying to bring Russia back to discussing a peace agreement, using the easing of diesel sanctions as leverage.

### Q: How did the US respond to Ukraine's inquiry about compensation for halting attacks?
**A:** American emissaries stated that the US is already doing plenty for Ukraine, mentioning vital intelligence assistance, and should not trade it for stopping refinery strikes.