Trump urges Zelenskyy to stop hitting Russian diesel refineries, saying the strikes are tightening fuel supplies worldwide and contributing to record diesel prices in the United States.
Speaking Sunday at the Irish Open at his golf club in Doonbeg, Ireland, the former president was asked whether he had contacted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after a recent conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump said he had and delivered a pointed request regarding Ukraine’s long-range strikes inside Russia.
“Zelensky has to do one thing. He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia,” Trump told reporters, adding that Ukraine could pursue other targets but should avoid the country’s diesel infrastructure.
Trump urges Zelenskyy to avoid diesel targets
Trump said he has spoken directly with Zelenskyy about the matter. “There are plenty of other targets,” he said, arguing that attacks on refineries are worsening a diesel shortage. “We don’t want him to hit diesel fuel.”
His comments come as Ukraine has focused on Russia’s oil and gas infrastructure with deep-strike operations aimed at disrupting a key source of funding and fuel for Moscow’s war effort. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago and has stepped up aerial attacks in recent weeks, including missile and drone strikes, while Ukraine continues to hit sites across the border.
The refinery strikes have pressured Russia’s domestic fuel market, prompting rationing in some regions and a ban on diesel exports in July. The turmoil has added strain to global supplies already affected by reduced oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, according to officials.
Average U.S. diesel prices climbed above $6 per gallon on Friday, setting a new record, energy data show. Trump said the current squeeze is driven by developments in Russia and Ukraine, not producers in the Middle East.
Both Russian and Ukrainian authorities reported another wave of large-scale drone attacks overnight into Sunday, with casualties on each side.
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