Zelensky says Trump blames Ukraine for high oil prices

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said US President Donald Trump cannot persuade Russian leader Vladimir Putin to agree to an energy ceasefire, and instead blames Ukraine for rising oil prices. He made the remarks on the podcast "The Diary of a CEO" hosted by Steven Bartlett. Zelensky said he repeatedly told Trump to negotiate at least an energy ceasefire to give people light, but Putin refuses. He called Trump's blame "a simple lie" and said US oil prices are unrelated to Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries, instead linking them to the American war with Iran. Zelensky offered to stop attacking Russian refineries in exchange for Patriot missile systems, with Europe paying for them, but said the US sends missiles to the Middle East instead. Trump declared an energy ceasefire in October that neither side acknowledged, and Russia immediately violated it.