US President Donald Trump has renewed his pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to halt military strikes targeting Russian oil refineries. In a statement shared on Truth Social, Trump asserted that Russia had lost control of its diesel sector due to the ongoing conflict. Multiple facilities had sustained damage and were temporarily non-operational, he said. This situation has led to a tightening global diesel market and escalating fuel prices.
Trump's remarks preceded a scheduled meeting between him and Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Following their telephone conversation, Zelenskyy described the dialogue as significant and indicated that their upcoming discussion could bring substantial changes. The meeting is set to take place on Tuesday. According to the Financial Times, Trump's primary focus during the call centred on diesel supply concerns.
A senior Ukrainian official present during the discussion reported that Trump pressed Zelenskyy to command Ukrainian forces to suspend drone and missile operations against Russian refineries. A second senior Ukrainian official familiar with the exchange told the FT that Trump expressed strong apprehension regarding rising diesel costs and sought the normalisation of Russian supplies to global markets.
Trump previously voiced a similar public appeal on September 13, stating that Zelenskyy has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia. He added that there are plenty of other targets and that hitting diesel fuel is hurting the world. The Kremlin responded positively to Trump's intervention, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stating that Moscow welcomed any initiative urging Kyiv to cease attacks on civilian economic infrastructure.
Conversely, Ukraine has maintained that operations against Russian refineries constitute legitimate military actions. Persistent drone strikes continue to diminish Russian refining output and prompt domestic fuel shortages. These developments followed an incident described by Russian authorities as the largest-ever drone attack targeting Moscow, during which a major oil refinery reportedly caught fire.
The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has resulted in significant human losses, with 25,000 people, mostly soldiers, being killed each month, according to Trump. He described the war as ridiculous and never-ending. The war has also had far-reaching consequences for the global energy market, with disruptions attributed to instability and renewed escalation in the Gulf region.
The situation remains complex, with multiple stakeholders involved. Ukraine's actions against Russian refineries are viewed as legitimate military operations, while Russia attributes global energy market disruptions to external factors. Trump's intervention has added a new dimension to the situation, with the US president calling for an end to the war and a focus on stabilising the global diesel market.
Key points
- Trump urges an end to the Ukraine war, citing a diesel crisis and rising fuel prices.
- Russia has lost control of its diesel sector due to the ongoing conflict.
- Ukraine views operations against Russian refineries as legitimate military actions.
