Donald Trump has urged Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s military to stop attacking Russian diesel infrastructure, saying the strikes have contributed to a fuel shortage that is “hurting the world”.
A series of long-range Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refineries in recent months has reduced fuel production and led to petrol shortages across Russia. Ukraine maintains that refineries are legitimate military targets, while its own energy infrastructure is regularly attacked by Russia.
“Mr Zelenskiy has to do one thing: he has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia,” Mr Trump told journalists during a visit to the Irish Open in the west of Ireland.
“We spoke to Mr Zelenskiy about it. There are plenty of other targets. Don’t hit diesel fuel. That’s hurting the world,” he said.
Mr Trump added that the global shortage “isn’t done by the Middle East, this is done by what’s happening with Russia and Ukraine”.
The average US price of diesel rose above six US dollars a gallon for the first time on Thursday, according to price tracker GasBuddy. The fuel is widely used by trucks, trains, ships and agricultural machinery.
Russia has also lowered its forecast for oil output this year to its lowest level in 17 years and revised its expectations for fuel exports in 2026 and 2027 because of the war, according to a draft government forecast.
Ukrainian drone strikes continued over the weekend. Regional officials in Tatarstan said two people were killed and 14 injured in an attack on Nizhnekamsk, which contains a major concentration of oil refineries and petrochemical, rubber and polymer plants.
The two civilians died when a drone struck a tree near their parked car, officials said. The city’s mayor, Radmir Belyaev, said a fire had broken out at one of its enterprises, without providing further details.
Meanwhile, at least nine people were injured in what Ukrainian officials described as a large Russian attack on Odesa. The Black Sea port has faced sustained drone and missile strikes, with Ukraine accusing Russia of attempting to obstruct its exports.
A Russian drone attack on Odesa on Saturday killed two people and injured 26 others after striking a residential high-rise. Ukrainian officials said the upper floors of the building were completely destroyed.
