Trump tells Zelenskyy to halt strikes on Russian diesel supplies

US President Donald Trump on Sunday publicly urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to cease military strikes targeting Russian diesel refineries, asserting that the sustained attacks are triggering worldwide fuel shortages and destabilizing global energy markets.

Speaking to reporters, Trump said that Washington had raised the matter directly with Kyiv and emphasized that American officials do not want Ukrainian forces targeting refining infrastructure. "Mr. Zelenskyy has to do one thing. He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia," Trump said, adding: "Let him go after targets, but not diesel, because he's causing a shortage of diesel."

Kyiv intensifies drone campaign

Trump's appeal comes as Ukrainian forces sharply escalate attacks against Russian energy hubs and refining infrastructure across multiple regions. On Sept. 10, Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian units hit eight military-supporting facilities within 24 hours, including an oil refinery in the Yamalo-Nenets region and a seaport in Dagestan. Strikes also targeted the Novorossiysk naval base and oil terminal on Sept. 9 and processing complexes across Ryazan, Perm, and Tatarstan on Sept. 7.

The sustained disruption has constrained Moscow's ability to process crude into transportation fuels, prompting Russia to introduce diesel export curbs in July and extend them through September. Ukrainian officials have not issued an immediate response to the US president's statements.

Global supply chain strains

Trump insisted that current disruptions across diesel markets do not stem from tensions in the Middle East but rather originate from the war between Russia and Ukraine. Ukrainian forces have "plenty of other targets" available for military strikes, Trump said, arguing that destroying Russian diesel production capacity is "hurting the world."

The warnings come amid broader energy market turbulence, including Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz to navigation following US-Israeli strikes that began in February and recent attacks by Houthi rebels on Saudi Arabia's oil pipeline. Both developments have further strained global supply chains and compounded concerns about fuel availability.