Ukraine's military has paused its strikes on Russian oil refineries after pressure from United States President Donald Trump, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday 29 October 2026, citing people with knowledge of the operations. Reuters, reporting the Journal's account, said it could not immediately verify the report itself — so this brief presents the pause as reported, not as independently confirmed.

What the Journal reported

Ukrainian units carrying out long-range strikes were told in mid-October that the campaign against refineries was effectively on hold once missions already in motion were completed, according to the Journal. The unofficial pause is expected to last until after the US midterm elections and potentially deeper into November. Russia has meanwhile stepped up attacks on Ukrainian energy and civilian infrastructure, Reuters noted.

Why the strikes matter in Washington

Relations between Mr Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have taken a downward turn in recent weeks, Reuters reported, with Mr Trump growing increasingly frustrated over Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure as diesel prices hit record highs. Ukraine had refused to halt the strikes, saying its long-range drone campaign is its only viable response to years of Russian bombardment. That prompted Mr Trump to announce a deal to buy diesel from Moscow and waive sanctions on Moscow authorised by a bill he signed into law in September.

The reported pause comes amid renewed efforts to revive US-backed peace talks to end Europe's deadliest conflict since the Second World War. Whether the pause holds, and for how long, will be an early test of that diplomacy — and of how far Kyiv is willing to trade a military lever for political goodwill in Washington.

Sources: Reuters (reporting the Wall Street Journal).