Trump calls on Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian diesel fuel

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The increasingly erratic far-right US president said that Ukraine’s attacks were causing a global shortage of diesel. 

He spoke after diesel prices in the US hit a record on Friday, soaring past $6 (£4.4) a gallon on average.

Ukraine has for months been targeting Russia’s oil and gas industry with long-range strikes, prompting fuel rationing across the country and causing Moscow to ban diesel exports in July, removing supplies from the already tight global market.

But the global crunch also came after the illegal and unprovoked war on Iran launched by the US and Israel on February 28 curbed oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

President Trump was asked by a reporter if he had spoken with President Zelensky following his recent conversation with Russia’s Vladimir Putin. 

He responded by calling on the Ukrainian leader to halt strikes against Russia.

President Trump told reporters that “Mr Zelensky has to do one thing. He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia.

“We spoke to Mr Zelensky about it. There are plenty of other targets. Don’t hit diesel fuel, because that’s hurting, that’s hurting the world.”

According to a report published on Friday by the International Energy Agency, net exports of diesel, gas and oil from the Gulf countries in August stood at “just over a quarter” of what they were before the war on Iran began in February.

“Disruptions to Russia’s refining system and a near-halt to product exports following intensified Ukrainian attacks have compounded these losses,” the International Energy Agency wrote. 

Meanwhile, a Russian drone struck a train near the Ukraine-Poland border on Sunday shortly after a diplomatic train carrying former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and ex-Swedish leader Carl Bildt and security advisers from several European Union states had left the station at Yahodyn ahead of schedule. 

Mr Bildt shared a video on X of the attack at Yahodyn station, near the Yahodyn-Dorohusk border crossing with Poland.

He wrote: “This wasn’t our train, but the one just minutes after us by the Polish border crossing. 

The former leaders had been in Kiev for the Yalta European Strategy conference.

Another train, with former CIA Director David Petraeus on board, was still at Yahodyn station when the drone struck, according to Ukrzaliznytsia.

There were no immediate reports of casualties on any of the trains.