Photo: EPA
U.S. President Donald Trump has urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop targeting Russian diesel and fuel infrastructure, saying Ukraine should focus on other targets.
Speaking on Sunday, September 13, in Doolin, Ireland, Trump said he had discussed the issue with Zelenskyy.
“We spoke with Mr. Zelenskyy about this. There are many other targets. Don’t hit diesel fuel,” Trump told reporters.
He added that Zelenskyy should stop disrupting Russia’s diesel supplies, arguing that the resulting shortages were affecting fuel prices.
Trump said the Russian fuel shortage was not primarily related to the situation in the Middle East but rather to the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Fuel prices create political pressure
Rising fuel prices in the United States are creating political risks for the Trump administration ahead of the November midterm elections.
The pressure comes from two main factors. The first is the disruption to global oil supplies caused by the conflict with Iran and uncertainty surrounding the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
The second is Ukraine’s successful strikes on Russian oil refineries and other fuel infrastructure, which have taken significant refining capacity offline and contributed to fuel shortages across dozens of Russian regions.
Together, these factors are putting additional pressure on the global diesel market.
Washington has previously urged Kyiv to limit certain attacks on Russian energy infrastructure. In August, Vice President JD Vance asked Zelenskyy to restrict strikes on oil tankers in Novorossiysk because of the interests of U.S. companies Chevron and ExxonMobil. Ukraine agreed, with exceptions.
Trump recently acknowledged that the war he launched against Iran could continue for at least another two months.
