Trump Urges Volodymyr Zelenskyy To Stop Strikes On Russian Oil Refineries And Diesel Infrastructure: who 25 outlets blamed
Trump targets diesel strikes
Speaking to reporters during a trip to Ireland, Trump told Zelenskyy, “Mr Zelenskyy has to do one thing. He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia,” and added, “Don’t hit diesel fuel, because that’s hurting the world.”
The remarks came as diesel prices in the U.S. hit a record on Friday, soaring past $6 a gallon on average, and as Ukraine continued long-range strikes on Russia’s oil and gas industry.
Reuters reported that the U.S. national average price for diesel rose over $6 a gallon for the first time on Thursday, while Trump said the global shortage “isn’t done by the Middle East, this is done by what’s happening with Russia and Ukraine.”R
Attacks, drones, and casualties
While Trump pressed Zelenskyy to avoid diesel targets, the sources described continued fighting and strikes affecting energy infrastructure across the region.
In Russia’s Tatarstan, local officials said two people were killed and 14 more wounded near an oil and industrial hub in Nizhnekamsk, after a drone slammed into a tree near a parked car, according to the office of regional head Rustam Minnikhanov.
The same reporting said Russia’s defense ministry stated it shot down 389 Ukrainian drones during the night, while Ukraine reported Russian drones pummeling the Black Sea port of Odesa and starting a fire near a border crossing with Poland.
Ukraine also claimed it hit a major oil refinery in Slavyansk-on-Kuban, and the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) said its drones struck a key oil processing unit and the refinery’s tank farm overnight into Sunday.
Mediation, blame, and next moves
POLITICO reported that a senior European official said Trump was using Kyiv as a scapegoat, quoting the official: “This administration is blaming Ukraine because they do not know what to do with their war [in Iran].”
That same POLITICO account said the official argued that an energy ceasefire must be mutual, adding, “An energy ceasefire must be mutual,” and warned that “Putin does not respect this [U.S.] administration.”
Reuters reported that U.S. envoy Jared Kushner said Russia’s territorial demands in the Donbas remain the main barrier to a peace deal, and that recent U.S.-brokered talks in Moscow and Kyiv produced no breakthrough.R
In parallel, the sources said Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the Vesti news service that Moscow would not pause its attacks during talks with Kyiv, saying, “We remain ready for negotiations, but the special military operation will not be halted for the duration of the talks.”