Trump demands Ukraine halt strikes on Russian diesel refineries as fuel prices surpass 6 dollars

Demand to halt refinery strikes

Speaking on 13 September during a visit to the Irish Open at his family's Doonbeg golf course in western Ireland, US President Donald Trump stated that he spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and told him to stop attacking Russian diesel facilities. Long-distance Ukrainian drone attacks have targeted refineries across Russia, reducing domestic fuel output and causing widespread rationing. Trump told reporters that Kyiv should redirect its military operations toward other targets.

Mr. Zelenskiy has to do one thing: He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia.

Trump reiterated that the campaign against Russian refineries was creating global supply pressures. He explained that he directly conveyed this message to the Ukrainian leadership during recent discussions.

We spoke to Mr. Zelenskiy about it. There are plenty of other targets. Don't hit diesel fuel. That's hurting the world.

Rising fuel prices and supply strains

The demand follows a surge in fuel costs, with the US national average price for diesel rising above 6 dollars per gallon on Friday for the first time, according to data from GasBuddy and the AAA automobile club. The previous peak occurred in June 2022, when prices reached 5.82 dollars per gallon following the initial invasion of Ukraine. Elevated pump prices present a domestic challenge for the US administration ahead of the midterm legislative elections scheduled for early November. In response to repeated strikes, Moscow extended a fuel export moratorium initially enacted in late July. A Russian government draft forecast indicated that the country downgraded its 2026 oil output projection to a 17-year low and revised export estimates for 2026 and 2027. The US Energy Information Administration warned that refined product inventories remain at low levels, keeping prices elevated.

Contested causes of fuel shortages

Trump attributed the global diesel shortage exclusively to the war in Ukraine, dismissing suggestions that Middle Eastern turmoil was the primary driver. During his remarks in Ireland, he argued that refinery strikes in Russia are directly harming international commerce.

This isn't done by the Middle East, this is done by what's happening with Russia and Ukraine.

The conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran that began on 28 February has closed the Strait of Hormuz, a shipping passage that normally accounts for 20% of global oil trade. According to the International Energy Agency, global diesel supplies are constrained because refineries in both the Gulf states and Russia have suffered damage.

War strategy and diplomatic missions

Ukraine maintains that Russian oil refineries and depots are legitimate military targets that finance and supply Moscow's four-year invasion. Ukrainian presidential spokesperson Kyrylo Budanov noted on Saturday that state energy company Gazprom has seen its estimated market value fall from 270 billion dollars twenty years ago to 30 billion dollars. While Ukrainian drones have struck deep inside Russian territory to disrupt fuel supplies, Russian forces have escalated aerial attacks against Ukraine's electricity grid using ballistic missiles and drones. Diplomatic channels recently reopened when US special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff traveled to Moscow and Kyiv for negotiations, during which both sides observed a temporary truce.