U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to refrain from attacks on each other's energy infrastructure, a day after he criticized Kyiv over strikes on Russian oil refineries.
"Ukraine has agreed not to hit Russian Energy targets. Russia has agreed to do, likewise! The World's Diesel price rise is mostly caused by the Russia/Ukraine War, not Iran," Trump said on his Truth Social network.
Oil prices have soared as the war in the Middle East hits the six-and-a-half-month mark, raising American fuel costs and inflation just weeks before crunch U.S. midterm elections.
There was no immediate confirmation from Kyiv or Moscow of any agreement.
Trump's claim comes as oil prices continue to soar in the seventh month of the Iran war, driving up U.S. fuel costs and inflation just weeks before crucial midterm elections.
The U.S. president has insisted the Iran war will end immediately after the midterms and that gas prices will fall. In the meantime, however, he has appeared to shift the blame for rising prices to the Russia-Ukraine war.
Trump lashed out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a trip to Ireland on Sunday, saying he had to do "one thing" and "stop knocking out diesel fuel" refineries in Russia amid growing shortages.
"Let him go after targets, but not diesel fuel, because he's causing a shortage of diesel," Trump said, again arguing that the Russia-Ukraine war – rather than the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran – was responsible for the pressure on fuel supplies.
Trump added that he had spoken to Zelenskyy about Ukraine's intensified attacks on Russian energy facilities in recent months.
"There are plenty of other targets. Don't hit diesel fuel because that's hurting. That's hurting the world. We don't want him to hit diesel fuel ... He's hitting diesel refineries."
Ukraine has struck numerous Russian oil refineries far from the border, while Moscow has also intensified its long-range attacks in recent months, contributing to a rise in civilian deaths.
Kyiv has launched record numbers of drones at Russia, while Moscow has carried out missile attacks at unprecedented levels.
Trump said last week that he had a "great conversation" with Russian President Vladimir Putin and insisted the Russian leader wanted to reach a deal to end the war in Ukraine.
Putin "is wanting to make a deal, and if Zelenskyy is wanting to make a deal, that'd be very nice," Trump told reporters Wednesday.
Zelenskyy said last week he would be willing to meet Putin at the G20 summit at Trump's Doral resort in Miami in December, but the Kremlin quickly ruled out such a meeting.
