US President Donald Trump believes Ukraine is targeting Russian oil refineries partly to damage the Republican Party's prospects in November's congressional midterm elections, according to The Atlantic, citing three people close to the president.
According to the magazine, Trump links Ukrainian strikes on Russia's oil-refining infrastructure to rising global fuel prices and fears that higher gasoline and diesel costs could affect the election results.
This is the president's reported perception, as described by the magazine's sources, rather than an established objective of Ukrainian military operations. There is no evidence that Ukraine selects targets based on the electoral interests of American political parties.
The Atlantic notes that, amid the US-Israeli war with Iran and the resulting disruptions to oil supplies, the Trump administration has been seeking to bring energy prices down. As part of that policy, Washington reached an agreement with Moscow on Russian diesel deliveries and demanded that Kyiv halt its attacks on Russian refineries.
Trump has previously criticized the resumption of such strikes publicly. In an October 16 interview with Newsmax, he described Ukraine's actions as disgraceful, linking them to rising fuel prices.
Russia, meanwhile, continues to strike Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Kyiv has explained its renewed attacks on Russian oil facilities as a necessary response to Russia's ongoing military campaign.
According to The Atlantic, the Trump administration is considering further pressure on Ukraine, including restrictions on military assistance, to accelerate an agreement to end the war.
The magazine also reports that Trump wants to secure a diplomatic breakthrough by the December G20 summit, scheduled to take place in Florida. His advisers have discussed contacts with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
However, neither the proposed timetable for an agreement nor the format of possible meetings has been agreed upon by the parties.
The information about Trump's motivations and his administration's plans is based primarily on The Atlantic's conversations with sources. The publicly documented elements include the president's criticism of Ukrainian strikes and Washington's change in energy policy toward Russia.