United States President Donald Trump has called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to halt drone strikes on Russian oil refineries, blaming the attacks for driving up diesel prices worldwide.
"Mr. Zelenskyy has to do one thing: he has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia," Trump said on Sunday, speaking to reporters during a visit to the Republic of Ireland. "We spoke to Mr Zelenskyy about it. There are plenty of other targets. Don't hit diesel fuel. That's hurting the world."
Trump said the surge in diesel prices was not caused by the conflict in the Middle East. "This isn't done by the Middle East, this is done by what's happening with Russia and Ukraine," he said.
A wave of long-range Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries in recent months has reduced fuel production inside Russia, triggering petrol shortages across the country.
Ukraine has defended the strikes, arguing that refineries are legitimate military targets. Kyiv says Russia's oil industry both funds and directly fuels Moscow's more-than-four-year-old invasion.
The price of diesel in the United States hit an all-time high on Friday, reaching a national average of $6.06 a gallon ($1.60 per litre), according to the American Automobile Association, which tracks daily prices. A year ago, the national average stood at $3.71 a gallon ($0.98 per litre).
Diesel has a significant impact on the cost of transportation. It is used by ships, trains, and trucks to move goods internationally, and rising fuel costs are being passed on to consumers.
Fuel prices are also weighing on Americans ahead of midterm elections scheduled for November.
Global oil prices have risen since the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran in February, disrupting oil flows from the region, including through the Strait of Hormuz. Around one-fifth of the world's oil passes through the strait under normal conditions. Crude oil prices crossed the $100-per-barrel mark last week for the first time since July, with Brent crude climbing as high as $109 per barrel at one point.
The International Energy Agency, in a monthly report published on September 11, said both conflicts were affecting diesel supplies. The agency noted that the US-Iran war was hampering efforts to normalise flows through the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, while the Russia-Ukraine conflict was compounding the problem.
"The disruptions to Russia's refining system and a near-halt to product exports following intensified Ukrainian attacks have compounded these losses," the agency said.
