President Donald Trump is urging Ukraine to stop attacking Russian oil refineries, arguing that the strikes are worsening a worldwide diesel shortage and driving up fuel costs in the United States.
“Mr. Zelenskyy has to do one thing. He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia,” Trump told reporters Sunday while attending the Irish Open at his golf resort in Doonbeg, Ireland.
Ukraine has spent months using long-range drones to strike refineries, storage sites and pipelines inside Russia. Kyiv considers those facilities legitimate military targets because petroleum exports generate revenue for Moscow’s war and refined fuel supplies Russian forces.
The campaign has reduced Russia’s refining capacity, contributed to domestic fuel rationing and prompted Moscow to halt diesel exports—removing additional supplies from an already strained market.
American drivers are now feeling the effects. AAA’s daily national average for diesel climbed above $6 a gallon Friday for the first time. The federal government’s weekly measure, which uses a different methodology and reporting schedule, stood at $5.65 as of September 7.
Ukraine’s attacks are only part of the problem. The war involving Iran has sharply curtailed oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy routes.
Trump placed the emphasis on Ukraine’s campaign against Russian refineries. However, the broader diesel crisis reflects disruptions in both Russia and the Middle East—at a time when rising transportation costs threaten to increase prices throughout the economy.
Sources: Associated Press, Reuters, U.S. Energy Information Administration
