U.S. President Donald Trump has criticised Ukraine’s renewed attacks on Russian oil refineries, warning that strikes on facilities producing diesel could push global oil prices higher and worsen fuel supply pressures.
Trump made the remarks in an interview with Newsmax following a Ukrainian drone attack on Rosneft’s Ryazan refinery, a major Russian processing facility responsible for about five per cent of the country’s total refinery throughput.
“All he’s doing is making the world oil price higher. Well, I think that’s a disgrace,” Trump said, referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“There are a lot of targets you can hit, but when you shoot at diesel refineries where you make, you know, diesel oil, and we need that, and the world needs that, then he’s not doing a good service for the world,” he added.
The comments came amid renewed uncertainty over efforts to halt the Russia-Ukraine war, with the latest refinery attack following a brief pause in Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure.
Earlier in the week, Ukrainian forces had suspended refinery attacks after Trump announced a ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow on Sunday. Neither Russia nor Ukraine confirmed that it had accepted the proposed ceasefire, while Russian forces continued attacking targets in Ukraine.
The pause subsequently ended, with the Ryazan refinery struck by drones on Thursday.
Before the attack, Zelensky had signalled a breakdown in the temporary restraint. Speaking to the Financial Times on Thursday, he said, “The block is out. We’re done.”
The resumption of attacks on Russian refining infrastructure threatens to intensify pressure on an already strained global fuel market, particularly diesel, where supply concerns have become increasingly pronounced.
Refineries play a central role in converting crude oil into transport fuels and other petroleum products. Disruptions to processing capacity can reduce product availability and place upward pressure on prices, although the extent of any market impact depends on the scale and duration of the disruption, available inventories and alternative supplies.
Trump’s criticism also exposed a widening disagreement between the U.S. president and Zelensky over the conduct of the war. During the Newsmax interview, Trump said he was “not a fan” of the Ukrainian leader and claimed that “They've destroyed that country.”
Despite his criticism of Ukraine’s military strategy, Trump maintained that the war should end soon.
Asked about the prospects for a peace agreement, he said, “It should end soon. I think they actually both would like to see it end.”
However, Trump added that he considered negotiations with Zelensky more difficult than dealing with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“I think I find Zelensky to be more difficult to deal with than Putin,” he said.
The latest refinery strike highlights the connection between the war’s military developments and global energy markets. Further attacks on Russian processing facilities could add to diesel supply concerns, while the absence of a confirmed ceasefire leaves the outlook for both the conflict and fuel markets uncertain.