Trump urged Zelensky not to strike diesel fuel producers in Russia

The U.S. President Donald Trump, during a visit to Ireland, called on Ukraine to stop strikes on Russian facilities that produce diesel fuel. As BBC writes, the head of the White House claims that Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries are allegedly causing a shortage of diesel on the global market.

Trump said:

“Zelensky has to do one thing. He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia. Let him hit the targets, but not the diesel fuel, because that is causing a shortage of diesel fuel.”

The American president also linked the fuel shortage not to the situation in the Middle East, but to Russia‘s war against Ukraine. He said he had already discussed this issue with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“This is not because of the Middle East, this is because of what is happening with Russia and Ukraine. We talked about this with Zelensky. There are many other targets. Don’t hit diesel fuel, because it harms the world. We don’t want him to hit diesel fuel,” said Trump.

At the same time, over recent months global oil and petroleum product prices have been rising against the backdrop of the war against Iran, which the U.S. together with Israel began in February. The Strait of Hormuz remains virtually closed. Previously, about 25% of global oil shipments and roughly 20% of liquefied gas passed through it.

At the end of August, Russia extended the ban on diesel fuel exports until September 30. The restrictions were introduced on July 8 due to a fuel shortage inside the country. Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries were also cited among the causes of the shortage.

Before the restrictions were introduced, Russia was often the second largest exporter of diesel fuel in the world after the U.S., notes Reuters. According to the agency, the Russian authorities also lowered this year’s oil production forecast to its lowest level in 17 years.

Earlier we wrote:

• Putin threatened Ukraine with massive strikes on energy infrastructure
• Ukraine struck a refinery 1,000 km from the front and a Tu-95MS bomber in Russia
• Fuel at 100 hryvnias is no longer a scare: what is pushing gas station prices to a new record
• Siberia is no longer the rear: a strike on Russia’s largest refinery could become “the last straw”
• IEA reports an unprecedented disruption in global oil supplies