U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to stop targeting Russian diesel infrastructure, saying the attacks were causing a shortage of the fuel that is “hurting the world.”
A wave of long-distance Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refineries in recent months has reduced that country's fuel production, triggering gasoline shortages across the country.
Ukraine, which faces regular Russian attacks on its own energy infrastructure, says refineries are legitimate military targets.
The U.S. national average price for diesel, which is used by trucks, trains, ships and farm equipment, rose over $6 a gallon for the first time on Thursday, according to price tracker GasBuddy.
“Mr. Zelensky has to do one thing: He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia,” Trump told journalists during a visit to the Irish Open, which is being held in the west of Ireland on a golf course owned by his family.
