US President Donald Trump has urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop attacking Russia’s diesel and fuel infrastructure, arguing that the strikes are worsening a shortage that is being felt beyond the Russia-Ukraine war.
Trump made the remarks on September 13 while speaking to reporters in Ireland. He said Ukraine could continue targeting Russian military objectives but should avoid diesel supplies and fuel facilities. He also indicated that the issue had been discussed with Zelenskyy.
“Mr Zelensky has to do one thing,” Trump said, arguing that attacks on Russian diesel facilities were contributing to a shortage. His comments come as fuel prices have risen sharply in the United States and international energy markets remain under pressure.
US diesel prices recently crossed $6 a gallon, adding to concerns about the cost of transportation, farming and other businesses that depend heavily on diesel. Trump has increasingly focused on energy costs as disruptions linked to the wider Middle East conflict put additional pressure on global fuel supplies.
Ukraine has stepped up long-range drone attacks on Russia’s oil refineries, fuel depots and other energy infrastructure during the war. Kyiv sees these facilities as important military and economic targets because Russia’s energy sector supplies fuel to its armed forces and provides revenue that helps finance the war.
Ukrainian forces reported strikes on oil facilities in Russia’s Krasnodar region and Tatarstan on September 13. The attacks came on the same day Trump called for an end to strikes on Russian diesel infrastructure.
The campaign has had a visible impact inside Russia. Damage to refineries and other fuel facilities has reduced processing capacity and contributed to shortages and restrictions in parts of the country. Russia has also been forced to adjust its energy outlook, with lower expectations for oil production and fuel exports.
Trump, however, has gone a step further by linking the Russian disruption to the wider global diesel shortage. That claim has drawn disagreement from some European officials and energy observers, who point to several other factors behind the rise in fuel prices.
The global energy market is already dealing with major disruptions in the Middle East. Oil prices have climbed sharply following attacks on energy infrastructure and growing concerns around supply routes. Brent crude recently moved above $107 a barrel, while concerns over the Strait of Hormuz have added another layer of uncertainty.
The situation means the diesel market is being squeezed from several directions at once. Refinery disruptions, geopolitical tensions, shipping risks and attacks on energy infrastructure can all affect the availability and price of refined fuels.
That makes the argument over Ukraine’s strikes particularly important. Kyiv maintains that hitting Russian energy infrastructure is part of its strategy to weaken Moscow’s ability to continue the war. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly argued that Russia’s fuel infrastructure supports military operations and therefore represents a legitimate target.
Trump has taken a different view. He has previously criticised Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries, warning that such operations could escalate the conflict. His latest comments suggest that he wants Ukraine to avoid actions that could further disrupt global fuel markets while his administration tries to push the Russia-Ukraine conflict towards a settlement.
The remarks also come shortly after Trump said he had held a positive conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that Moscow was interested in reaching an agreement to end the war.
The Kremlin has welcomed Trump’s call for Ukraine to stop targeting Russian fuel infrastructure. Moscow has itself continued its campaign of missile and drone attacks against Ukraine, including strikes on energy and economic infrastructure.
The dispute highlights a difficult balance for Washington. The United States wants to support Ukraine while also limiting the economic fallout from the war. Rising diesel prices matter far beyond fuel stations because diesel powers trucks, agricultural machinery, construction equipment and large parts of the global supply chain.
Ukraine, meanwhile, faces a different calculation. Its energy infrastructure has repeatedly come under Russian attack, and Kyiv sees strikes on Russian oil facilities as one way to impose costs on Moscow.
The issue is therefore bigger than the price of diesel alone. It has become part of the wider debate over how far Ukraine should go in attacking Russia’s energy sector and how much economic disruption the international community is willing to absorb during the war.
As global fuel markets remain volatile, Trump’s message to Zelenskyy puts energy security firmly back at the centre of the diplomatic debate. Whether Ukraine changes its strategy remains uncertain, but the pressure on Kyiv to limit attacks on Russian fuel infrastructure is likely to grow as diesel prices and wider energy concerns continue to rise.
