Trump asks Ukraine to stop hitting Russia's fuel, points to 'other targets'

Trump's remarks came as Ukraine has stepped up long-range strikes on Russia's oil and gas infrastructure, arguing that the industry helps finance and directly support Moscow's war effort. The drone campaign has disrupted fuel supplies in parts of Russia, leading to rationing despite the country being one of the world's biggest oil and gas exporters.

In Short

• Ukraine intensifies strikes on Russian oil and gas infrastructure
• Russian drones shot down in large numbers by Ukraine
• Russian drone attacks near Polish border raise EU concerns

US President Donald Trump has urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop targeting Russian diesel infrastructure, saying the strikes are contributing to a fuel shortage in Russia.

Trump made the remarks on Sunday when asked whether he had spoken to Zelenskyy following his recent conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Mr Zelensky has to do one thing. He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia,” Trump told reporters on the sidelines of the Irish Open at his Doonbeg club. “Let him go after targets but not diesel fuel, because he’s causing a shortage of diesel fuel,” he said.

"This isn't done by the Middle East...this is done by what's happening with Russia and Ukraine. We spoke to Mr. Zelenskyy about it...there are plenty of other targets. Don't hit diesel fuel, because that's hurting the world. We don't want him to hit diesel fuel," he went on to add.

UKRAINE TARGETS RUSSIAN OIL INDUSTRY

Ukraine has stepped up long-range strikes on Russia’s oil and gas infrastructure, arguing that the industry helps finance and directly support Moscow’s war effort.

The drone campaign has disrupted fuel supplies in parts of Russia, leading to rationing despite the country being one of the world’s biggest oil and gas exporters.

On Sunday, Ukraine said it had struck a major oil refinery in Sloviansk-on-Kuban in Russia’s Krasnodar region, across from Crimea.

Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence Directorate (DIU) said drones hit a key oil processing unit and the refinery’s tank farm overnight, triggering a large fire that could be seen from several dozen kilometres away.

Krasnodar authorities said a strike on an “enterprise” in Sloviansk-on-Kuban injured three people, damaged an oil pipeline and started a fire. They did not directly address Ukraine’s claim that the refinery had been targeted.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces shot down 389 Ukrainian drones overnight, including over Tatarstan, other Russian regions and Russian-occupied Crimea.

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With agency inputs