US President Donald Trump expressed concern on Sunday over rising fuel prices during a telephone discussion with Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy, urging Kiev to cease strikes against Russian oil refineries, the Financial Times reported on Monday.
"Diesel, diesel... diesel," served as the primary thrust of the American leader's message as he pressed the Ukrainian military to halt missile and drone bombardments of Russian refining installations, a senior Ukrainian official present during the call told the newspaper.
A second senior Ukrainian official familiar with the exchange confirmed that Trump conveyed serious concern regarding surging diesel expenses, which have intensified domestic political pressure on his administration as critical congressional midterm elections approach in November.
According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), national average gasoline prices in the US stand at $4.48 per gallon, marking an increase of 9 percent from $4.11 a month ago and a jump of more than 40 percent from $3.19 a year ago.
"Russia has unfortunately lost control of its diesel oil industry due to its war with Ukraine," Trump wrote later on his social media platform Truth Social, adding that numerous refineries have been destroyed and remain "out of commission."
He argued that the war "must be ended," lamenting that "the whole world suffers" as an estimated 25,000 people, primarily soldiers, die each month.
The White House did not immediately issue a public response regarding the telephone conversation or the FT report.
‘Important conversation’
Confirming the call in a statement on messaging service Telegram, Zelenskyy said the discussion addressed wide-ranging matters and produced an agreement to hold an in-person meeting during this week's UN General Assembly in New York.
"We just spoke with President Trump. An important conversation, and many things were discussed. We have arranged a meeting in New York, and this meeting can change a lot," Zelenskyy said on Sunday.
Trump earlier publicly insisted that Ukrainian forces spare Russian energy infrastructure, maintaining that attacks on refining facilities hurt the global economy by provoking worldwide diesel deficits.
The US president has repeatedly attributed record American and international fuel prices directly to Kiev's refinery campaign rather than the concurrent Iran war in the Gulf.
On September 14, Trump claimed on his social media platform Truth Social that Washington had brokered a mutual energy truce between Moscow and Kiev, though Ukrainian officials later clarified that the proposal remained an unfinalised American framework rather than a formal accord.
