Trump Urges Zelenskyy to Stop Striking Russian Diesel as Fuel Crisis Deepens
United States President Donald Trump has urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop striking Russian diesel infrastructure, arguing that the attacks—not the conflict with Iran—are helping drive a global fuel shortage and higher prices.
“Mr. Zelenskyy has to do one thing: he has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia,” Trump told reporters on Sunday during a trip to the Republic of Ireland. “We spoke to Mr. Zelenskyy about it. There are plenty of other targets. Don't hit diesel fuel. That's hurting the world.”
The appeal comes after months of long-range Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries that have reduced Russia's fuel output and triggered gasoline shortages inside the country, according to reports.
Ukraine, whose own energy infrastructure is regularly targeted by Russia, says refineries are legitimate military targets. Kyiv argues that Russia's oil industry both funds and directly fuels Moscow's more-than-four-year-old invasion of its neighbor.
The dispute carries immediate political weight in Washington. Fuel costs are weighing on American households and businesses as voters prepare for midterm elections in November, making any rise in pump prices a sensitive issue for the White House.
Diesel prices in the US hit an all-time high on Friday, reaching a national average of $6.06 a gallon, or $1.60 per liter, according to the American Automobile Association, which tracks daily prices. A year ago, AAA data showed diesel at $3.71 a gallon, or $0.98 per liter.
Diesel is central to the global economy. It powers ships, trains and trucks that move international goods, so higher fuel costs ripple through supply chains and are eventually passed on to consumers. The result can be more expensive food, manufactured goods and raw materials.
On Sunday, Trump said the increase in diesel prices “isn't done by the Middle East, this is done by what's happening with Russia and Ukraine.”
Global oil prices have risen since the US and Israel launched a war on Iran in February, disrupting regional oil flows, including through the Strait of Hormuz, and setting off a broader energy crisis. In peacetime, roughly one-fifth of the world's oil passes through the strait.
Crude oil prices crossed the $100-per-barrel mark last week for the first time since July. Brent crude, the global benchmark, climbed as high as $109 at one point.
The International Energy Agency says the Ukraine war, alongside the Iran conflict, is also affecting diesel prices. In a monthly report published on September 11, the agency said the US-Iran war was hampering efforts to normalize flows through the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, while the Russia-Ukraine conflict was adding pressure, especially on diesel supplies.
“The disruptions to Russia's refining system and a near-halt to product exports following intensified Ukrainian attacks have compounded these losses,” the agency said.
For Trump, the message is simple: strikes on diesel fuel should stop. For Kyiv, however, the refinery campaign remains one of its few long-range tools for raising the cost of Russia's war effort. The tension leaves Washington and Kyiv balancing battlefield strategy against global energy markets—and the political consequences that come with them.