Kremlin welcomes Trump's call for Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian diesel facilities

The Kremlin has officially welcomed recent remarks from U.S. President Donald Trump, who urged the Ukrainian government to cease drone strikes against Russian diesel-producing facilities. President Trump stated that these attacks are negatively impacting the global economy by contributing to fuel shortages.

Ukrainian forces have conducted a series of long-distance drone strikes against Russian oil refineries in recent months. Kyiv maintains that these operations are a strategic necessity intended to increase the economic cost to Moscow for its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

In response to the U.S. President’s comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that any appeal for the Kyiv government to halt attacks on civilian economic infrastructure is viewed positively by Moscow. The strikes have resulted in reduced fuel production within Russia, leading to gasoline shortages across several regions.

These domestic fuel supply issues have emerged as a point of concern ahead of Russia’s parliamentary elections, which are scheduled to take place between September 18 and 20. The Russian government has implemented an export ban on diesel in an effort to stabilize the domestic market and address the shortages.

Regarding the broader impact on global energy prices, the Kremlin dismissed the notion that the Ukrainian strikes are the primary driver of market instability. Instead, officials attributed the current volatility in global energy markets to ongoing instability and escalations within the Persian Gulf region.