Trump Again Blames Ukraine for Rising US Diesel Prices, Dismissing Middle East War Impact

US President Donald Trump has again blamed Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries for rising diesel prices in the United States, arguing that the disruptions to Russia’s fuel production are a bigger factor than the war in the Middle East.Speaking from the Oval Office on Wednesday, Sept. 30, Trump said a potential US ban on diesel exports could reduce domestic diesel prices, although he warned it would also have a negative impact on gasoline prices.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.Trump said the war in Ukraine, including attacks by both sides that have disrupted energy production and exports, was the main factor behind rising diesel prices.“It’s going to start to come in. You know, diesel is really hurt much more, not by the Middle East, but by what’s going on in Russia, because those diesel refineries are being knocked out at a pretty alarming rate,” he said.“And if that didn’t happen, we wouldn’t have a diesel problem. What’s happened in Russia with Ukraine has been really the biggest problem for diesel. Thank you very much,” Trump added.US energy secretary points to broader disruptionsUS Energy Secretary Chris Wright offered a broader explanation for the tightening diesel supply, pointing to disruptions in several major exporting regions.“We’ve lost some diesel exports from the Middle East, although we’re restoring those, and we’ve lost diesel exports from China,” Wright said. “So that’s a lot of interruptions.” Other Topics of Interest Russian Attacks on Kyiv Continue Into Thursday as Drone Crashes Near Playground and Fires Erupt A man was injured as Russian attacks sparked fires in Solomianskyi and Obolonskyi and a drone hit a non-residential complex in Pecherskyi. He added that the administration expected European countries to announce additional diesel supplies soon.According to Reuters, gasoline prices in the US have risen by more than 40% over the past year, while diesel prices reached a record $6.53 per gallon a week ago, according to AAA data.The price surge has been driven largely by a combination of tighter supplies linked to the war with Iran and refining disruptions, including those caused by Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy facilities, Reuters reported.The issue also carries political significance in the US, where the Trump administration and Republican candidates face pressure to bring down fuel costs ahead of the November midterm elections, while Trump’s economic approval ratings remain under strain.Ukraine’s refinery strikesIn mid-September, Trump called on his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, to stop targeting Russia’s energy industry, arguing that Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries were driving up diesel prices in the US.Trump said Ukraine’s long-range drone strikes against Russian refineries were the main reason global diesel prices had spiked and urged Zelensky to halt the attacks.“Mr. Zelensky has to do one thing: He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia. Let him go after targets – but not diesel fuel, because he’s causing a shortage of diesel,” he said.“This isn’t done by the Middle East. This is done by what’s happening with Russia and Ukraine... There are plenty of other targets. Don’t hit diesel fuel because that’s hurting the world,” Trump told a gaggle of Irish and international reporters.Trump’s remarks came after a record month of Ukrainian strikes against Russia’s energy sector. In August 2026, Ukrainian drone forces hit 21 Russian oil refineries – a wartime record, according to data from Ukraine’s national long-range strike database, DeepStrike UA, and strike statistics published by the Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces (USF).The targeted refineries were located in Omsk, Saratov, Syzran, Perm, Yaroslavl, Krasnodar, Samara, Tatarstan, Tyumen and Orsk. Strikes hit some facilities repeatedly, while others – including refineries in Omsk, Perm and Tyumen – were targeted for the first time during the war, according to Kyiv Post records.The August figure was 50% higher than July’s 14 refinery strikes and twice the monthly strike pace recorded by USF units in October 2025, when seven refineries were hit.Trump’s criticism echoed earlier remarks by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who in early September blamed Ukrainian drone strikes on Russia for a global “energy shock” that he said was driving up energy costs.However, energy industry analysts have pointed to other factors as the main drivers of the global surge in crude and refined-fuel prices. A US-Israeli war with Iran has brought tanker exports through the Strait of Hormuz close to a halt, while worsening Red Sea disruptions following the Houthi capture of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait have further constrained tanker traffic.Russian President Vladimir Putin has also downplayed the impact of Ukraine’s strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure. In comments aired by Russian state-controlled media on Aug. 22, he said the attacks had failed to produce the battlefield effect Kyiv intended.“How effective are they – are they effective at all? And do they have any impact on the situation along the line of contact as a whole? The ultimate result for the adversary turned out to be the exact opposite of what was expected. No turning point occurred,” Putin said.At the same time, Ukraine’s strikes have significantly disrupted Russia’s fuel production. A Bloomberg estimate published on Aug. 28 and widely cited by Ukrainian media said the attacks had reduced Russia’s production of gasoline, aviation fuel, diesel and other petroleum products by more than 30%.Russian industry analysts have similarly estimated that fuel-processing capacity has fallen by roughly one-third, saying that restoring the damaged capacity could prove difficult as Russian air defenses struggle to intercept Ukrainian drones. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.