Trump's Criticism of Ukrainian Diesel Strikes Plays Directly Into Moscow's Hands

Faced with record diesel prices and less than two months to go until the midterm elections, President Donald Trump has reverted to a familiar stance in his ongoing efforts regarding the Ukraine war: blaming the victim. His timing could not be worse for Ukraine, or more beneficial to Russia.

“Mr. Zelensky has to do one thing: He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia,” the US president told reporters Sunday, referring to his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky. “It’s hurting the world.”

Trump’s position presents contradictions, coming less than a year after sources told CNN the US had increased intelligence-sharing with Ukraine so it could target Russian energy sites, and barely a week after he claimed gas prices would drop when the Iran war ends. Analysts also dispute the claim that halting Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries would solve global price issues. Andy Lipow, from Texas-based Lipow Oil Associates, estimates that Russia’s export ban in response to Ukrainian strikes removed 800,000 barrels per day of diesel from the market, while the closure of the Strait of Hormuz affected another 1.2 million barrels daily.

For Kyiv, facing a severe shortage of air defenses, targeting Russia’s military infrastructure and energy resources remains a critical defense strategy ahead of a winter that Moscow intends to weaponize. On Monday, Trump claimed on Truth Social that both Russia and Ukraine had agreed to halt attacks on each other’s energy sites, a statement not matched by reality.

The Kremlin utilized the moment for public relations gains. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the proposal “a very good idea” and stated, “We are in contact with the American side,” while repeating assertions framing Ukraine as the aggressor. Peskov added that lifting sanctions is a necessary second step to ensure adequate global supply of petroleum products.

This diplomatic maneuver unfolds as US-Russia relations remain complex. The Trump administration recently sanctioned one of Russia’s biggest banks over Iran ties, alongside legislative moves in the US House on a Russian sanctions bill co-authored by Sen. Lindsey Graham before his death in July. For Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the shifting signals highlight the persistent challenge of balancing pressure on Russia against global energy market stability.