U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to press Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to agree to an energy truce with Russia during a scheduled meeting on Tuesday at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Trump stated that Moscow has “lost control” of its diesel oil industry as a result of the war, signaling his intent to push Kyiv toward a cessation of attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.
The high-stakes conversation between the two leaders will also address critical matters including winter air defense support for Ukraine, ongoing Ukrainian drone strikes against Russian refineries, and strategies to conclude the more than four-and-a-half-year conflict.
In a Monday post on Truth Social, Trump claimed that a “large number” of Russian diesel refineries had been destroyed and were temporarily out of commission, though he provided no specific figures. He criticized the ongoing hostilities, writing, “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!”
The push for an energy truce comes as global fuel markets face significant volatility. U.S. retail diesel prices have surpassed $6.50 per gallon for the first time, driven by supply disruptions stemming from both the Ukraine war and conflicts involving Iran. Trump has previously urged Zelenskyy to halt drone attacks on Russian oil facilities, arguing that such actions are exacerbating global fuel shortages and driving up costs.
A spokesperson for the Russian Embassy in London did not immediately return a request for comment from CNBC. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy has indicated that Kyiv is discussing “strong de-escalation steps” with Washington but emphasized that Russia must first stop targeting Ukraine’s energy grid and other critical infrastructure.
Recent visuals from St. Petersburg show long lines of vehicles at Rosneft gas stations following drone strikes on regional processing facilities, including the Kinef oil refinery in Kirishi, which have triggered acute gasoline shortages in the area.
Zelenskyy is right to demand Russia stop attacking Ukrainian infrastructure first. You cannot ask a country to disarm while it is being bombed.
Is anyone else concerned about diesel prices hitting $6.50 here? That energy truce talk feels very timed given the economic pressure at home.
The claim about Russia losing control of its diesel industry seems like a massive exaggeration. The gas station lines in St. Petersburg tell a very different story.