President Donald Trump has urged Ukraine to stop attacking Russian oil refineries as fuel shortages deepen and U.S. diesel prices hit a record, adding pressure to an already strained global energy market.
WEBDESK – MEDIABITES
U.S. President Donald Trump has called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop targeting Russian oil refineries and diesel infrastructure, arguing that the strikes are contributing to a global fuel shortage as U.S. diesel prices climb to record levels.
Trump made the comments Sunday during a visit to Ireland, saying Ukraine should pursue other military targets but avoid facilities producing diesel fuel.
“Don’t hit diesel fuel. That’s hurting the world,” Trump said, according to Reuters. He argued that the diesel shortage was being driven by the Russia-Ukraine conflict rather than solely by the war in the Middle East. (Reuters)
Ukraine has intensified long-range drone attacks against Russian refineries and oil infrastructure in recent months, seeking to disrupt Moscow’s energy revenues and increase the economic cost of its invasion.
The attacks have reduced Russian refining capacity and contributed to fuel shortages inside Russia. Moscow has extended restrictions on diesel exports as it attempts to stabilize domestic supplies. The Kremlin on Monday welcomed Trump’s call, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying appeals to stop attacks on civilian economic infrastructure could only be welcomed. (Reuters)
Ukraine, meanwhile, has argued that Russian refineries are legitimate military targets because energy revenues help finance the war. Kyiv is also facing repeated Russian attacks on its own energy infrastructure.
U.S. Diesel Hits Record
The dispute comes as the global diesel market faces an increasingly severe supply squeeze.
The average U.S. diesel price surpassed $6 a gallon for the first time ever last week, according to GasBuddy. Diesel is essential for trucking, agriculture, shipping, rail transport, construction and heavy industry, meaning sustained increases can quickly feed into transportation and consumer prices. (Reuters)
U.S. diesel inventories are also running below their five-year average, while global refined-product supplies remain under pressure.
The situation has been compounded by the war involving the United States and Iran, which has disrupted shipping through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz and pushed crude prices above $100 a barrel.
Brent crude rose above $107 a barrel on Monday, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude traded above $102, as fresh attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure and shipping added to supply concerns. (Reuters)
Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline, an important route for moving crude toward the Red Sea and bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, was temporarily shut following a drone attack. The disruption has added another layer of uncertainty to an already tight energy market. (Reuters)
A Broader Inflation Threat
The surge in diesel prices is particularly significant because diesel powers much of the global transportation and logistics network. Higher costs for trucks, ships and agricultural machinery can eventually translate into higher prices for food and manufactured goods.
Analysts have warned that the combination of Middle East supply disruptions and Russian refinery outages is creating a “one-two punch” for refined fuels. (Reuters)
The pressure also comes as some of the buffers that previously helped contain oil-price shocks have weakened. Chevron Chief Executive Mike Wirth said recently that global crude reserves and other market buffers used earlier in the Iran conflict have been substantially depleted, leaving prices vulnerable to further increases. (Reuters)
For the Trump administration, record diesel prices create both an economic and political challenge. Higher transportation and agricultural costs risk adding to inflation just weeks before the U.S. midterm elections.
Trump’s appeal to Kyiv therefore reflects a broader effort to contain the energy consequences of multiple wars simultaneously. But with Ukraine determined to pressure Russia’s energy infrastructure and Middle East supply routes under severe strain, the global diesel market may remain under pressure even if individual refinery attacks decline.
