Trump presses Zelenskyy to halt strikes on Russian refineries as US diesel tops $6 a gallon
The US president is linking Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil infrastructure to record fuel prices at home, adding a new pressure point to an already fraught diplomatic relationship.
President Donald Trump has urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop targeting Russian oil refineries with drone and missile strikes, framing the attacks as a direct contributor to soaring diesel prices in the United States. The request, made publicly on September 13 and reiterated during a phone call on September 20, marks a notable shift in how Washington is weighing Kyiv’s military strategy against domestic economic pain.
US diesel prices crossed $6 per gallon around mid-September, a record that has turned fuel costs into a political liability for the Trump administration. Rather than attributing the spike primarily to the ongoing US-Iran conflict, Trump pointed to Ukraine’s campaign against Russian energy infrastructure as the bigger culprit.
A phone call, then a refinery goes dark
The September 20 conversation between the two leaders reportedly centered on de-escalation of strikes against Russian energy targets, with diesel supply mentioned multiple times. The two presidents agreed to meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
On the same day as the phone call, Ukrainian drones struck the Moscow Oil Refinery, forcing a complete shutdown of operations at the facility.
Ukraine’s drone campaign against Russian refineries has significantly impacted Russian fuel production, leading to shortages and domestic rationing of diesel in parts of Russia, which in turn has resulted in Moscow imposing restrictions on diesel exports.
Macro, rates, and crypto—what moved markets and what matters next.
Daily. Free. Join 34,000+ readers across crypto, finance, and policy.
Why diesel prices matter more than you think
At over $6 per gallon, US diesel has reached record territory. The previous record was set during the initial shock of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. The current situation is compounded by the US-Iran conflict, which has severely reduced exports of diesel and gasoil from the Gulf, exacerbating global supply pressures.
Trump’s public framing attributes diesel price spikes to Ukraine’s refinery strikes rather than to the US-Iran situation. Multiple major Russian facilities have been damaged or temporarily shuttered over the past year, reducing the amount of refined diesel available for export.
The diplomatic tightrope
The fact that Ukraine struck the Moscow Oil Refinery on the same day as the phone call suggests Kyiv is not ready to comply. The Biden administration also previously expressed discomfort with Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure. Trump went public with his request on September 13 before following up with the phone call on September 20.
The planned meeting at the UN General Assembly will be closely watched. In the context of approaching US midterm elections, Trump is advocating for a de-escalation of hostilities regarding energy targets to alleviate market strains.