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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for additional F-16 fighter jets and ammunition during meetings with Belgian leaders in Brussels as Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure continued and tensions with Washington deepened over strikes on Russian oil facilities.
In a post on X late Thursday following talks with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, Zelenskyy said Russian strikes had left nearly 15,000 people without electricity in the Volyn region, while parts of Kyiv and its surrounding region were experiencing partial power outages.
He warned that the threat of further attacks was preventing repair crews from beginning restoration work in some communities.
Zelenskyy said F-16 fighter jets were playing a significant role in intercepting Russian jet-powered Shahed drones and that Ukraine was working with Belgium to secure additional aircraft as quickly as possible.
The two leaders also discussed further supplies of ammunition for the fighter jets.
During a separate audience with Belgium's King Philippe, Zelenskyy thanked the country for its continued support and stressed the urgent need to strengthen Ukraine's air defenses against Russian missile and drone attacks.
He also called for frozen Russian assets to remain immobilized throughout the war, arguing that Moscow should not regain access to financial resources that could be used to finance further attacks or destabilize Europe.
Zelenskyy is seeking to rally European allies at a Brussels summit Friday after announcing that Kyiv would no longer observe U.S. President Donald Trump's demand to refrain from striking Russian oil refineries.
Relations between Washington and Kyiv have deteriorated since Trump eased sanctions on Russia last week in exchange for Moscow releasing large quantities of diesel onto global markets.
Zelenskyy told the Financial Times that Ukraine's pause in attacks on Russian refineries was "done," accusing Moscow of failing to respect the energy ceasefire announced by Trump.
Trump criticized Ukraine's renewed attacks, calling them a "disgrace" and accusing Kyiv of contributing to rising global energy prices.
"I think I find Zelenskyy to be more difficult to deal with than Putin," Trump said in an interview with Newsmax published Thursday.
European leaders, meanwhile, expressed support for Ukraine as tensions between Kyiv and Washington continued.
French President Emmanuel Macron said it was "crucial" that Ukraine receive "all the means necessary to protect itself" following talks with Zelenskyy.
"I can reassure you, dear Ukrainian friends and President Zelensky: YOU ARE NOT ALONE," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote online.
Zelenskyy also met NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and held bilateral talks with several European leaders Thursday ahead of Friday's EU summit.
"All of us in Europe want this war to end. And for that to happen, strong signals are needed -- more real pressure on Russia and more defence support for Ukraine," Zelenskyy wrote on X.
"It is especially important now to act together to protect lives."
During his meeting with Macron, Zelenskyy condemned another Russian drone attack targeting energy infrastructure in Lutsk, the capital of the Volyn region, which caused power outages.
"Russia has demonstratively disregarded the American president's proposal for an energy ceasefire. And now it is taking advantage of problems with Starlink operations to cause maximum destruction to everything that sustains everyday life," Zelenskyy said.
The Kremlin, however, accused Ukraine of undermining U.S. peace efforts by resuming attacks on Russian oil refineries.
Russian authorities reported that a Ukrainian drone attack had caused a fire at a refinery south of Moscow.
Kyiv "continues to launch strikes against these facilities," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
"It is coming into serious conflict with the peace efforts of the United States and American negotiators, who are making vigorous efforts to initiate the peace process," Peskov said.
Russia has intensified its bombardment of Ukrainian cities in recent months, causing mounting civilian casualties and disrupting electricity supplies.
In Kyiv, residents expressed frustration over Washington's stance.
"Let them live here for two to three days. All these nighttime attacks, what people here are going through -- blackouts, no electricity. And then maybe he'll see all this differently," 30-year-old resident Alyona Nikitina told AFP.
Tensions have also increased over restrictions affecting Starshield, the U.S.-controlled satellite communications system used by Ukraine's military to detect incoming Russian attacks and coordinate battlefield operations.
Ukrainian defense officials confirmed that the United States had threatened to withdraw intelligence-sharing if Kyiv continued long-range strikes against Russian oil refineries.
Officials reported slower Starshield connectivity Wednesday, disrupting military operations and communications.
SpaceX owner Elon Musk denied that his company was responsible for restricting the system.
"Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government," Musk said.
"Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS," he added, referring to Trump.
Ukraine uses Starshield technology for battlefield communications, medium-range attacks on Russian-occupied territory and interceptor drone operations.
The system is separate from SpaceX's civilian Starlink service, which Ukraine also uses but not for offensive operations, according to the report.
The disruptions have added to concerns in Kyiv over its dependence on U.S.-controlled military communications as Russian strikes continue targeting the country's energy infrastructure.
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