Trump Urges Volodymyr Zelensky To Halt Strikes On Russian Diesel Infrastructure

U.S. President Donald Trump urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to halt military strikes on Russian diesel infrastructure, warning that the attacks are creating global fuel shortages.

“"Mr. Zelensky has to do one thing. He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia"”

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Trump told reporters, "Mr. Zelensky has to do one thing. He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia," and added, "Let him go after targets, but not diesel, because he's causing a shortage of diesel."

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Trump said Washington raised the matter directly with Zelensky and argued that destroying Russian diesel production capacity is "hurting the world."

The appeal came as Ukraine intensified attacks on Russian energy hubs and refining infrastructure, with Zelensky saying on Sept. 10 that Ukrainian units hit eight military-supporting facilities within 24 hours, including an oil refinery in the Yamalo-Nenets region and a seaport in Dagestan.

Russia introduced diesel export curbs in July and extended them through September, while Iran announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz to navigation after US-Israeli strikes began in February, further straining global energy flows.

While Trump pressed Kyiv to stop hitting Russian diesel, Ukrainian authorities reported Russian drone attacks on the Black Sea port of Odesa and areas near Ukraine's border with Poland, and local officials said two people were killed in Russia's Tatarstan after a Ukrainian drone attack on Nizhnekamsk.

In Tatarstan, the office of regional head Rustam Minnikhanov said two civilians died after a drone slammed into a tree near their parked car, and it said two people were killed and 14 more injured on Sunday as Ukrainian drones struck Nizhnekamsk.

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In Odesa, Serhii Lysak, who heads the city's military administration, said at least nine people were injured in a "massive" Russian attack, and Ukrainian officials said a Russian drone attack on Saturday struck a residential high-rise in Odesa, killing two people and injuring 26 others.

Trump’s comments were echoed by other outlets describing the same call to Zelensky, including Al Jazeera, which quoted Trump saying, "We spoke to Mr. AZelenskyy about it. There are plenty of other targets."

Al Jazeera also framed the diesel pressure as part of a broader energy squeeze, reporting that "A wave of long-distance Ukrainian drone attacks" on Russian oil refineries reduced fuel production and triggered petrol shortages across the country.A

The diesel dispute sits alongside continued escalation on both sides, with CBS News reporting that Trump called on Zelensky to halt strikes on Russian refineries as the attacks are causing a shortage of diesel, while Russia and Ukraine continued overnight waves of drone attacks.

“"October cannot be ruled out"”

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CBS News also reported that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow is open to restarting peace talks in the autumn featuring Russia, Ukraine and the U.S., adding, "October cannot be ruled out," even as core demands remain mutually exclusive.

In parallel, CNN reported that Zelensky said that in the past week alone, Russia had fired more than 2,000 drones at Ukraine, many of them jet-powered models.

CNN described a Russian drone attack near the Ukraine-Poland border at Yahodyn that struck a gas station, and it quoted Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on X saying, "Russia’s barbaric strikes at the Ukraine-Poland border crossing point in Yahodyn are not just a continuation of its attacks on our state borders."

With the war’s energy effects already tied to diesel prices, the sources also noted that the US diesel price hit record highs, with Al Jazeera reporting a national average of $6.06 a gallon on Friday and CNN stating that US diesel prices topped $6 a gallon Friday for the first time ever.A