Trump demanded Zelenskyy stop hitting Russian refineries—for the second time in a week
Two months ago Trump called the same strikes an escalation that could end the war—now he wants them stopped because of diesel prices.
On 20 September, US President Donald Trump demanded Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy halt attacks on Russian oil refineries—this was the second such request in a single week. The two leaders are scheduled to meet in New York on 22 September during the UN General Assembly. Ukraine carries out the strikes to disrupt Russian fuel supplies that support its military operations.
Trump linked these attacks to the rise in global diesel prices. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), disruptions to Russia's refining system following intensified Ukrainian attacks have exacerbated diesel supply shortages. In July, Trump backed the strikes during a NATO summit alongside Zelenskyy, stating that such actions could help end the war.
On 13 September, Trump urged Zelenskyy to cease the attacks, emphasizing that targeting diesel fuel was hurting the global economy. The IEA reported that global energy markets are facing their largest supply disruption in history due to the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz, though a US-Iran agreement has begun to ease prices from their April peak.
Ukraine's refinery campaign has also hampered Russian fuel production, with the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stating that attacks had disabled 42.7% of Russia's oil-refining capacity by 4 July.
Written by urgent.news from Euromaidan Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
