Why is Trump warning Zelenskyy not to hit Russian diesel refineries?

What the report says

US President Donald Trump on Sunday urged Ukraine to stop striking Russian diesel refineries, arguing that the attacks are contributing to a global diesel shortage and hurting markets. He said he had raised the issue with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during remarks at the Amgen Irish Open at Trump’s golf course in Doonbeg, Ireland. Trump framed the shortage as a consequence of the Russia-Ukraine war, rather than of US policy.

Al Jazeera reported that Ukraine has spent months targeting Russian oil and gas infrastructure, which has reduced Russian fuel exports and added pressure to Moscow’s energy sector. Russia has responded with its own attacks on civilian energy infrastructure, including petrol stations, while refinery damage and export limits have tightened supply. The article noted that Russia’s diesel exports have fallen sharply from recent averages, and that combined diesel exports from Russia and the Gulf were down in August compared with February.

The report also placed Trump’s warning in the broader context of higher fuel prices and political pressure in the US. It said diesel prices in the US are at record levels, while regular gasoline has also risen significantly. Al Jazeera cited analysts and the International Energy Agency as saying Ukrainian strikes are only one factor in a wider market squeeze, with rising tensions and military action in the Middle East also weighing on oil and fuel prices. That wider backdrop matters because diesel is essential for shipping, trucking and rail transport, so price increases can feed into broader consumer costs.