President Donald Trump called on Ukraine to halt its attacks on Russian oil refineries on Sunday, asserting that the strikes are driving a diesel shortage. Speaking to reporters while attending the Irish Open golf tournament at his Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg, Ireland, Trump addressed the ongoing conflict following recent diplomatic conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Mr. Zelensky has to do one thing. He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia,” Trump said. “Let him go after targets but not diesel fuel, because he’s causing a shortage of diesel fuel.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s military has targeted Russia’s energy sector, arguing that the industry funds and directly supports Moscow’s war effort against Kyiv.
The U.S. president’s comments emerged as both countries exchanged overnight aerial attacks. In Russia’s Tatarstan region, local officials confirmed two fatalities after Ukrainian drones struck Nizhnekamsk, a city home to significant oil refining and petrochemical facilities. Regional head Rustam Minnikhanov stated that two civilians died when a drone hit a tree near their parked vehicle, while 14 others were injured. Mayor Radmir Belyaev confirmed a fire broke out at one of the city’s enterprises but provided no further details.
Ukraine simultaneously reported Russian drone activity near the Black Sea port of Odesa and a fire adjacent to a border crossing with Poland. Russian forces shot down 389 Ukrainian drones overnight across Tatarstan, other Russian regions, and occupied Crimea, according to Russia’s defense ministry.
Kyiv claimed its drones hit a major refinery in Sloviansk-on-Kuban in Russia’s Krasnodar region, damaging an oil processing unit and tank farm. Krasnodar authorities confirmed injuries to three people and damage to an oil pipeline, though they did not explicitly acknowledge the Ukrainian claim.
Despite being a top global energy exporter, Russia has imposed fuel rationing due to the Ukrainian drone campaign, which has also targeted major Russian online retailers. Meanwhile, Moscow has intensified its air campaign using ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones, aiming to exploit Ukraine’s diminishing stock of missile interceptors and strike the power grid ahead of winter.
On the diplomatic front, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov indicated openness to restarting peace talks in October involving Russia, Ukraine, and the United States. This follows weekend meetings between U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff with Putin in Moscow and Zelenskyy in Kyiv, although core demands regarding territorial concessions remain irreconcilable.
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Rationing in Russia while their power grid gets hammered ahead of winter? This conflict is spiraling out of control.
Kyiv’s position makes sense strategically. If the industry funds the bombs, targeting it is self-defense, not escalation.
Is Trump actually advising Ukraine to stop defending itself? That’s a bold and controversial stance to take from a golf course.
Two civilians died in Tatarstan? The human cost of these refinery strikes is heartbreaking on both sides.
Diesel shortages are a problem, but leaving war funding untouched seems like a strange prioritization to me.