# Trump tells Ukraine to stop hitting Russian refineries

> U.S. diesel just broke $6 a gallon, and the president says Ukraine's strikes on Russian fuel plants are part of the problem.
- Title: Trump tells Ukraine to stop hitting Russian refineries · CNBC
- Summary: U.S. diesel just broke $6 a gallon, and the president says Ukraine's strikes on Russian fuel plants are part of the problem. The war's energy front has…
- Keywords: oil, ukraine, diesel, trump, energy prices, business, finance, tells, stop, hitting, Russian, refineries
- Source: CNBC — https://cnbc.com/2026/09/14/trump-ukraine-russia-diesel-prices-oil.html
- Author: Sam Meredith
- Published: 2026-09-14T07:22:01+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: oil, ukraine, diesel, trump, energy prices, business, finance
## Trump draws a line
On a visit to Ireland, the president said Zelenskyy should keep striking Russia but leave its diesel production alone, arguing the attacks are hurting the world.

> He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia
## Why Kyiv started hitting fuel
After more than four and a half years of war, Ukraine escalated strikes on Russian refineries and logistics to make the fighting expensive for Moscow.
## Russia is feeling it
The strikes have badly cut Russian refining capacity and triggered fuel shortages, pushing Moscow to extend its diesel export ban through the end of September.
## Moscow says thank you
The Kremlin welcomed Trump's appeal. Ukraine has long called Russian refineries legitimate military targets, and fears another winter assault on its own power grid.

> Any call on the Kyiv regime to stop attacks on civilian economic infrastructure can only be welcomed
## Six dollars at the pump
U.S. diesel averaged $6.06 a gallon on Friday, a first. Truckers and farmers are paying about 63% more to fill up than they did a year ago.
## Crude climbs too
Brent rose 3.6% to $108.41 and WTI hit $103.54 as U.S. and Iran fighting spread. Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia briefly shut the East-West pipeline.
## Key takeaway

The war's energy front has reached American pumps, and Washington is now asking Kyiv to spare the targets that hurt Moscow most.