Steve Cortes says Zelenskyy appears intent on driving up U.S. fuel prices
Steve CortesPolitical commentator and former Trump campaign adviser, on X
Cortes calls Zelenskyy an ingrate who is not America's friend and says he appears intent on driving up U.S. gas and diesel prices because he wants a Democratic Congress for the last two years of the Trump administration.
Responding to
Zelenskyy is intent on driving up gas and diesel prices for American families because he wants Democrats to win control of Congress.
“It appears he is intent on driving up gas and diesel prices on American families at all costs.”
Original post
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Ukraine resumes strikes on Russian refineries after Trump's energy truce; Steve Cortes blames Zelenskyy for fuel prices, and Rep. Don Bacon calls him a "Putin stooge"
On October 11, 2026, President Donald Trump wrote that an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine was effective immediately and that both parties had agreed. Russia did not confirm it, and Ukraine said Russian strikes on its energy infrastructure continued. On October 15 Ukraine attacked an oil refinery in Russia's Ryazan region, abandoning the truce, which it said Moscow had not heeded; the Kremlin said Ukraine had never stopped its refinery strikes. Conservative commentator Steve Cortes wrote that Zelenskyy appears intent on driving up gas and diesel prices for American families because he wants a Democratic Congress. Rep. Don Bacon, a Nebraska Republican, called Cortes a Putin stooge and said Ukraine complied with the ceasefire for three days while Russia kept bombing Ukrainian energy targets.
Source and context
Original post
About this source
Steve Cortes posted this on X on October 15, 2026, with a screenshot of the Associated Press headline on Ukraine's refinery strike.
Reporting
About this source
Associated Press report from Kyiv, as carried by WCAX, on Ukraine's October 15, 2026 drone strike on a Russian oil refinery after the energy truce, Zelenskyy's comments on Trump, and responses from Dmitry Peskov and Sergey Lavrov.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Cortes posted a screenshot of the Associated Press headline reporting that Ukraine had abandoned the truce and attacked a Russian oil refinery as Zelenskyy said he felt betrayed by Trump. The post opens: "Ingrate Zelensky is not our friend."
After the quotation
He continues: "Of course because Zelensky wants a Democrat Congress for the last two years of the Trump-Vance Administration."
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is Ukraine's decision on October 15, 2026 to abandon the energy truce Trump announced on October 11 and resume drone strikes on Russian oil refineries. Cortes condemns the move, saying Zelenskyy appears intent on raising American fuel prices to help Democrats, so we labeled it Condemned. No competing label fits.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy
More from this case
Read the full caseRep. Don Bacon calls Cortes a Putin stooge and says Russia never agreed to the ceasefire
“Ukraine complied with the energy ceasefire for three days while Russia continued to bomb Ukrainian energy targets. Russia then publicly acknowledged they never agreed to the ceasefire.”Read statement
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- Steve Cortes says Zelenskyy appears intent on driving up U.S. fuel prices
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The Dispute Index. "Steve Cortes says Zelenskyy appears intent on driving up U.S. fuel prices". First published: 2026-10-20. Last updated: 2026-10-20. https://disputeindex.com/events/6328-cortes-calls-zelenskyy-an-ingrate-who-is-not