There's one massive problem with Trump's Ukraine diesel price theory
U.S. President Donald Trump has a very simple solution to the very real problem of rising diesel prices. "(President Volodymyr) Zelensky has to do one thing — he has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia,” he told reporters on Sept. 13. "Let him go after targets but not diesel fuel, because he’s causing a shortage of diesel fuel… that’s hurting the world." Trump's implication was clear —…
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested Ukraine stop targeting Russia's diesel fuel production to lower rising diesel prices in the United States. However, there is one significant issue with this theory. According to Alan Riley, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center, Trump's claim is not accurate. The main cause of the global diesel price surge is the Russia/Ukraine war, not the U.S.-Iran conflict as Trump claimed.
The sharp increase in U.S. diesel prices, from $3.60 per gallon at the beginning of Iran-Israel war in February to $6.23 per gallon in August, is mainly due to the Iran-Israel war, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and disruption to refining capacity in the Gulf, according to Riley. Russian refineries have been targeted by Ukrainian drone strikes, causing frequent operational disruptions.
Russia's oil exports, particularly diesel, have plummeted by 21% between January and July, with diesel exports accounting for a third of the global decline. This situation has put Russia in a tough spot, with its economy under significant strain due to the war costs and dwindling revenues from refined products exports.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
