While visiting Ireland, US President Donald Trump called on Kyiv to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries amidst a rapid global rise in diesel prices, Politico reports.
When asked about the current surge in fuel prices—particularly for diesel—Trump insisted that the situation was being caused by Ukraine, rather than the war with Iran that he himself had initiated. It was this conflict, he claimed, that had reduced oil exports from the Middle East to near-zero levels.
Trump stated that officials from his administration had asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop launching drones and missiles at Russian refineries that produce diesel. While walking across a golf course, the American told reporters that Mr. Zelenskyy needed to do one thing: stop destroying Russian diesel supplies. He suggested that the Ukrainian president could choose other targets but should avoid diesel production facilities, as attacking them was creating a diesel shortage.
At the same time, Trump continued to insist that the conflict with Iran—which Washington had initiated six months earlier—had nothing to do with the dwindling fuel supplies. He stated that the fuel shortage is not driven by the Middle East but is caused by the war between Russia and Ukraine—a matter he reportedly discussed with Zelenskyy. While there are countless other targets, diesel facilities should be left alone, he argued, because targeting them harms the global community.
Ukraine’s increasingly deep strikes into Russian territory are viewed as a crucial element of Kyiv’s strategy to make the war significantly costly for Russia. Meanwhile, a high-ranking European official close to peace talks led by the US remarked that
the Trump administration is seeking scapegoats ahead of the midterm elections
scheduled for the 3rd of November. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, noted that the Trump administration is blaming Ukraine because it does not know how to handle the war it instigated in Iran; they added that Russian diesel and oil have never been significant for US consumption, making Trump’s premise absurd. Furthermore, everyone has heard Trump boast that the US can secure all the oil it needs domestically.
Trump is not the first US official to blame Ukrainian strikes on Russia for rising diesel prices. Last week, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated that the damage inflicted on Russian oil refineries has created a challenging situation in the diesel market. A few days earlier, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent noted that the US was experiencing energy price shocks primarily because the Ukrainians had decided to blow up Russia’s entire energy industry.
A European official stated that if Washington wants Kyiv to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries, it must ensure that Moscow stops attacking Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Any cessation of hostilities would have to be mutual, but since Putin does not respect the US administration, no truce exists.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the news agency Vesti that Moscow would not halt attacks during negotiations. The Kremlin is reportedly open to talks, but the “special military operation” would continue while they take place.
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