Trump Urges Ukraine to Stop Striking Russian Oil

US President Donald Trump called on Volodymyr Zelensky to halt Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil facilities, citing soaring fuel prices amid the war with Iran and the resulting energy crisis.

Trump said Kyiv could attack other targets because restricting Russian fuel supplies was hurting the entire world. He confirmed that he had already discussed the issue with Zelensky.

The average price of diesel in the United States reached a record high of more than $6 per gallon, up sharply from a year earlier. Higher diesel prices could drive up the cost of everyday goods because of the fuel’s importance to transportation and agriculture.

Ukraine has continued striking Russian energy infrastructure. On Sunday, Ukrainian drones targeted the TANECO refinery in Nizhnekamsk and the Slavyansk-ECO refinery in the Krasnodar region.

Moscow, meanwhile, has intensified attacks with ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones against Ukraine’s power grid.

Fuel prices are also rising because of restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply normally passes. Trump expects the conflict with Iran to end after the November elections, followed by a sharp fall in prices. He has also raised the possibility of the United States seizing Iranian oil.

(thehill, bak)