Donald Trump has said Russia has “lost control” of its diesel industry after Ukrainian strikes on refineries, while pressing Volodymyr Zelensky to halt attacks that Washington believes are driving up fuel prices.
“A large number of their Diesel refineries have been blown up and are, at least temporarily, out of commission,” Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social.
He added: “This ridiculous and never ending War with Ukraine must be ended,” claiming that 25,000 people, “mostly soldiers”, were being killed each month.
The remarks followed a telephone call with the Ukrainian president on Sunday, during which Mr Trump urged Kyiv to stop targeting Russian energy infrastructure.
A senior Ukrainian official said the US president’s message had been “diesel, diesel . . . diesel”. Another official said Mr Trump wanted Russian fuel to return to world markets in an effort to reduce prices.
Mr Trump said last week that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to stop striking each other’s energy sites. Ukrainian officials denied that such a truce existed.
The dispute comes as US fuel costs have risen sharply during the conflict involving Iran. The United States and Israel’s strikes on Iran in February effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil supply normally passes.
US diesel prices reached a record 6.51 dollars on Monday, according to AAA, compared with about 3.76 dollars before the war. The increase has become a political problem for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections.
Diesel is widely used to power lorries, trains and agricultural machinery, making prices for the fuel particularly significant for the movement of food and other goods.
Ukraine defends strikes on Russian refineries
Mr Trump’s call with Mr Zelensky came hours after what Russian officials described as the largest drone attack ever on Moscow. A major oil refinery was set ablaze and at least two people were killed.
Moscow’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, said 450 drones had been shot down. Ukrainian forces have increasingly focused on refinery distillation towers, which are among the most time-consuming parts of such facilities to repair.
About a third of Russia’s refining capacity has reportedly been knocked out, forcing Moscow to restrict exports of refined fuel and import supplies from India.
President Vladimir Putin said this month that Russian forces had been ordered to prepare a mass air campaign in retaliation for Ukrainian attacks on energy sites.
“They are hitting ours. They’ll get an answer. That’s basically how it is,” he said.
People briefed on Mr Putin’s thinking said he was unlikely to agree to an energy truce before winter, when Russian forces are expected to resume attacks on Ukraine’s power grid.
A senior Ukrainian official said Mr Trump could be using the sweeping Russia sanctions law he signed last week as leverage to persuade Kyiv to stop striking refineries.
Mr Zelensky, who is due to meet Mr Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, defended the campaign. “It is part of the pressure that is actually working and the world can feel it,” he said.
The pressure on energy supplies has also increased as the conflict involving Iran spreads into Yemen. Saudi Arabia urged Mr Trump over the weekend to strike Iran-backed Houthi targets, while fighting between Houthi rebels and Saudi-backed forces threatened shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
