TRUMP PRESSED ZELENSKY TO HALT STRIKES ON RUSSIAN OIL REFINERIES, AXIOS REPORTS
President Donald Trump reportedly pressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky repeatedly during a phone call to suspend Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil refineries, according to Axios.
A source familiar with the conversation told Axios that Trump directly linked the Ukrainian strikes to rising international fuel prices, saying the word “diesel” came up repeatedly during the call.
Ukrainian drones have repeatedly targeted Russian oil facilities, disrupting refining capacity and prompting Moscow to restrict fuel exports in an effort to protect domestic supplies.
According to Reuters, six major Russian diesel-producing refineries had either reduced or halted operations, collectively accounting for roughly half of Russia’s diesel production.
For Kyiv, the refineries are strategic targets because they:
▪️ Generate revenue for the Russian economy.
▪️ Produce fuel used by Russia’s military.
▪️ Increase the economic cost of the war for Russia.
For the Trump administration, however, disruptions to Russian refining capacity can also affect global fuel supplies and put upward pressure on diesel prices in the United States, making the issue politically sensitive ahead of the U.S. midterm elections.
Zelensky has indicated that Ukraine could support a suspension of attacks on energy infrastructure, but only if the United States can ensure that Russia also stops strikes against Ukraine’s energy system.
No formal agreement between Moscow and Kyiv has been confirmed so far.
Trump and Zelensky are expected to meet during the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where the issue could become a major point of discussion as Washington focuses on fuel prices while Kyiv views attacks on Russian refineries as an important source of pressure on Moscow.
Source: Axios