Trump Calls On Ukraine To Stop Hitting Russian Oil Refineries As Price Of Diesel Skyrockets

President Donald Trump called on Ukraine stop hitting Russian oil infrastructure with drones as diesel gas prices continue to climb in the U.S. and around the world.

Speaking in Ireland, Trump said the attacks are "hurting the world."

"Mr. Zelenskyy has to do one thing. He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia," Trump said Sunday in Ireland. "Let him go after targets but not diesel fuel because he's causing a shortage of diesel. This isn't done by the Middle East; this is done by what's happening with Russia and Ukraine."

According to AAA, the average price of diesel has risen to $6.23 per gallon. Last year at the same time the average price of diesel hovered around $3.69 per gallon.

Ukraine has redefined the war by regularly launching strikes deep inside Russia, mostly using drones. Some of the cards Zelenskyy has been playing lately have included repeated strikes against Russian online retailers Ozon and Wildberries. In August, Ukraine claimed that it had hit at least 15 Wildberries logistical hubs. Ukraine has said the companies are legitimate targets because they help keep the Russian military supplied.

As part of Ukraine's efforts to bring the nearly five-year-old conflict to Russia, the country has also begun targeting oil infrastructure. These strikes, along with ongoing supply chain issues related to the Iran war has led to diesel gas prices spiking. CNBC reported that the Ukrainian strikes have reduced Russia's refining capacity and created fuel shortages in the country.

Zelenskyy has said the strategy is part of Ukraine's attempt to defend itself from Russia's continued bombardment of the country. Ukraine has repeatedly faced drone and missile strikes from Russia, with many of the strikes targeting civilians. Zelenskyy wrote on social media that last week alone Russia launched around 2,100 drones against Ukraine.

"The enemy also used nearly 1,700 guided aerial bombs and 78 missiles of various types. Last night and this morning, energy facilities...businesses, and ordinary residential buildings came under attack," Zelenskyy stated.

In fact, the country's eastern defenses are coming under renewed pressure as Russian forces inch toward Kramatorsk, threatening a chain of fortified cities that has helped prevent Moscow from advancing deeper into the country.

The gains remain slow and costly, but the shift has eroded the optimism that followed Ukraine's territorial advances earlier this year and raised new questions about how long its remaining strongholds in Donbas can hold.

According to the Institute for the Study of War, Russian forces advanced or infiltrated into approximately 124 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory in August, about one-quarter of the territory gained during the same month in 2025.

The pace is slow, and Western intelligence estimates cited by CNN suggest Russia is suffering roughly 40,000 casualties a month. Those figures underscore the enormous cost of Moscow's offensive, even as its incremental gains create mounting pressure on Ukrainian defenses.