Donald Trump pleaded with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to stop attacking Russia’s refineries as the global oil crisis continues to damage the 80-year-old president.
Details of the Sunday call, which Ukrainian officials leaked to the Financial Times, reveal that Trump was desperate to talk about “diesel, diesel . . . diesel” while urging Zelensky to halt the drone bombardments against Russia.
Details of the call emerged after the Moscow region came under intense drone strikes targeting oil refineries that are crucial to funding Vladimir Putin’s war efforts, in what is believed to be Ukraine’s largest single attack on Russia since the invasion began in February 2022.
The four-and-a-half-year war, combined with Trump’s Iran conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, has resulted in a worldwide oil crisis that has sent the price of gas and diesel soaring in the U.S.
On Monday, the national average price of diesel rose to an all-time high of $6.51, up about 70 percent from the price recorded before the Iran war broke out on Feb. 28 and nearly $3 more than the average one year ago.
The skyrocketing gas and diesel prices are further exacerbating the financial hardship of tens of millions of Americans during Trump’s second term and could doom the GOP to an electoral wipeout in November’s midterms.
Another senior Ukrainian official with knowledge of the Zelensky call told the Financial Times that Trump was desperate to emphasize that he was concerned about rising diesel prices and did not want a reduction in Russian supplies to further disrupt the global market.
Trump is not acknowledging his own role in creating record-breaking diesel prices, and he has previously said that rising prices are a small price for Americans to pay to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
“Russia has unfortunately lost control of its Diesel Oil Industry due to its War with Ukraine. A large number of their Diesel refineries have been blown up and are, at least temporarily, out of commission,” Trump posted on Truth Social on Monday morning.
“This ridiculous and never ending War with Ukraine must be ended. The whole World suffers as 25,000 people, mostly soldiers, are being killed each month. What a shame!”
Speaking to reporters during his trip to Ireland, Trump also demanded that Zelensky stop targeting Russian oil refineries with drone attacks to ease pressure on fuel supplies.
“Let him go after targets, but not diesel fuel, because he’s causing a shortage of diesel,” Trump said on Sunday. “This isn’t done by the Middle East. This is done by what’s happening with Russia and Ukraine.”
Elsewhere, Ukraine said the 80-year-old president appeared to have gotten confused while claiming there was an apparent truce between Ukraine and Russia regarding attacks on oil refineries.
Instead, Zelensky clarified to the Financial Times that Ukraine said it would honor a reciprocal ceasefire if the U.S. and other nations could ensure Russia did the same.
Zelensky added that the call with Trump was an “important conversation” and that the situation could “change a lot” when the pair meet on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly this week.
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
