President Donald Trump announced that Ukraine and Russia have agreed to an energy target detente after criticizing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for increasing diesel prices with his drone strikes on Russian oil refineries.
“Ukraine has agreed not to hit Russian Energy targets,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday. “Russia has agreed to do, likewise! The World’s Diesel price rise is mostly caused by the Russia/Ukraine War, not Iran.”
Trump over the weekend described Zelensky as “hurting the world” with his strikes against Russia’s diesel infrastructure, which have affected the country’s production, though Moscow has responded in kind against Ukrainian counterparts.
“Mr. Zelensky has to do one thing: He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia,” Trump told reporters last weekend in Ireland. “We spoke to Mr. Zelensky about it. There are plenty of other targets. Don’t hit diesel fuel. That’s hurting the world.”
The average price of diesel surpassed $6 a gallon last week, setting a new record, with the previous high of $5.82 a gallon recorded in June 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Russia usually exports more diesel than any other country apart from the United States. In July, Russia imposed an export ban on diesel in reaction to refinery damage caused by Ukraine.
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Trump’s announcement comes after he conceded last week that gas prices, more broadly, may not decline until after November’s midterm elections amid the Iran war.
“I think it’s going to take a little bit longer than the midterms,” he told reporters en route to Dallas for last week’s Republican convention. “Right after the election, oil prices are going to be tumbling downward.”