Trump Urges Ukraine to Stop Diesel Strikes

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to cease strikes on Russian diesel, citing concerns that the attacks were creating a fuel shortage.

When asked by a reporter if he had contacted Zelenskyy after his recent talks with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Trump emphasized the need for Ukraine to adjust its military strategy.

“Mr. Zelensky has to do one thing. He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia,” Trump mentioned to reporters at the Irish Open, held at his Doonbeg golf club.

He added, “Let him go after targets but not diesel fuel, because he’s causing a shortage of diesel fuel.”

Ukraine has been targeting Russia’s oil and gas sectors for several months, arguing that these resources fund and sustain Moscow’s ongoing invasion, which has lasted over four years.

The drone strikes from Ukraine have led to fuel rationing throughout Russia, despite it being a major oil and gas exporter. Additionally, Ukraine’s operations have struck major Russian online retailers, intensifying the impact of the conflict on citizens.

In recent weeks, Russia has increased its aerial assaults on Ukraine, deploying ballistic missiles and jets to breach defenses. These attacks have notably focused on Ukraine’s power infrastructure as winter approaches, causing concerns about the morale of the civilian population.

Recently, a series of large-scale drone strikes resulted in civilian casualties on both sides. Authorities reported that two people were killed and 14 injured in Russia’s Tatarstan region near an oil and industrial complex. Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials noted Russian drones caused damage in the Black Sea port of Odesa and initiated a fire near the Polish border.

In Nizhnekamsk, where significant oil refining operations are located, two civilians died when a drone crashed into a tree beside their vehicle. Local officials indicated a fire had erupted at a nearby facility.

Ukraine claimed it successfully hit a significant oil refinery in Slavyansk-on-Kuban in the Krasnodar region, across from Crimea. The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine stated that drones targeted both an oil processing unit and the refinery’s tank farm overnight.

Authorities in Krasnodar acknowledged the strike, reporting injuries and damage to an oil pipeline but did not specifically confirm the Ukrainian claims.

Russian defense sources stated that they shot down 389 Ukrainian drones overnight. Additionally, Odesa experienced a significant nighttime assault, injuring at least nine, as the city continued to be a focal point for attacks aimed at crippling Ukraine’s exports.

A prior assault on a residential area in Odesa reportedly killed two and injured 26 individuals.

Throughout the night, Russia also targeted areas in western Ukraine. One drone strike resulted in a fire near the Yahodyn-Dorohusk border crossing with Poland, a critical pathway for military and humanitarian aid entering Ukraine.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha remarked on the attacks, framing them as “Putin’s terror” against the EU and NATO.

Notably, despite the chaos, reports indicated that the Yahodyn crossing was not damaged and no one was harmed in that specific area.

Earlier this week, two fatalities occurred when Russian drones struck the Starokozache border crossing to Moldova. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk noted potential threats at border crossings but did not disclose specifics or evidence regarding Russian involvement.

Ukraine’s air force reported that it intercepted or neutralized 409 Russian drones in the same period. Overall, Russia had launched 453 drones against Ukraine, according to the military.

In a separate development, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated openness to restarting peace discussions in autumn, possibly involving the U.S. alongside Russia and Ukraine.

“We are not ruling out that possibility… October cannot be ruled out,” Peskov stated, acknowledging the ongoing diplomatic efforts despite persistent disagreements over core issues between Moscow and Kyiv.