Amid rising fuel costs, former US President Donald Trump has urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries and facilities that produce and distribute diesel. Trump highlighted that these attacks are exacerbating a global fuel shortage, as diesel prices in the United States have surged beyond $6 per gallon, hitting a record high. He suggested that Ukraine should shift its focus away from targeting Russian diesel infrastructure to other military objectives.
Ukraine has been intensifying its efforts to disrupt Russia’s oil and gas sectors with long-range attacks, impacting refining activities and contributing to fuel shortages within Russia. In response, Moscow has further constricted diesel exports, adding pressure to international fuel markets. The situation has been compounded by disruptions to oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz in the wake of conflict involving Iran, with the International Energy Agency reporting a significant drop in diesel and gasoil exports from Gulf nations in August.
Kyiv maintains that Russia’s energy sector is a critical source of funding for its military operations in Ukraine. Thus, Ukrainian forces continue to target Russian oil facilities, including refineries and storage sites. At the same time, Russia has ramped up its assaults on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, with recent overnight strikes causing casualties and damaging civilian and energy infrastructure in areas such as Odesa.
The conflict has also seen a significant exchange of drone attacks between the two nations. Ukrainian strikes have reportedly hit industrial areas in Russia, while Kyiv has accused Russian drones of targeting residential and strategic sites. These developments come as the rising cost of fuel becomes a growing concern in the United States, particularly with the November midterm elections on the horizon. Trump’s appeal to Ukraine to ease its attacks on Russian energy infrastructure underscores the increasing alarm over the conflict’s impact on global fuel availability.
