Kremlin Backs Trump's Call for Ukraine to Stop Strikes on Diesel Facilities

The Kremlin on Monday welcomed a call by U.S. President Donald Trump for Ukraine to stop targeting Russia's diesel-producing facilities, even as it attributed recent upheaval in global energy markets chiefly to instability in the Gulf region.

Trump made the appeal on Sunday, urging Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to halt attacks on Russian diesel infrastructure. He said the strikes were causing a shortage of the fuel that is "hurting the world."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a daily conference call with reporters that any call on Kyiv to stop attacks on civilian economic infrastructure could only be welcomed.

Ukraine has carried out a wave of long-distance drone attacks on Russian oil refineries in recent months, reducing the country's fuel production and triggering shortages, including of gasoline, across Russia. Kyiv says the strikes are intended to raise the cost for Moscow of continuing its invasion.

Peskov also said the situation in global energy markets was worsening mainly because of "instability and new rounds of escalation in the Persian Gulf region." He added that an export ban on diesel should help strengthen Russia's domestic market.

The fuel shortages have affected numerous Russian regions and are weighing on national morale ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for September 18 to 20.