In a recent phone call, Donald Trump urged Volodymyr Zelensky to stop Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries. Whether a request or a demand, this appears, certainly at first glance, fundamentally different from the Biden administration’s policy of restricting the use of US long-range missiles to hit targets inside Russia.

The US president has justified his position primarily on economic grounds. He argues that the regular attacks on Russian refining capacity were contributing to disruptions in diesel supplies and rising fuel prices. The International Energy Agency has estimated that Ukraine hit one Russian oil refinery every three days over the first eight months of 2026.

Biden’s restrictions, by contrast, were justified by the US largely over concerns about military escalation and the possibility that strikes deep inside Russia could provoke a wider confrontation between Moscow and Nato.

But focusing solely on these stated justifications hides a deeper continuity. Both policies reflect an effort by Washington to shape the boundaries of Ukraine’s military response to suit broader American interests.

The significance of this becomes clear when considering Ukraine’s refinery approach. Kyiv’s systematic campaign to target Russian oil infrastructure is about reducing Russia’s economic and military capacity. Ukrainian officials have described the attacks as........

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