Daniel Wolfram
Trump is trying to deflect blame onto Ukraine and President Zelenskyy for the steep oil and diesel prices. He now begs him to stop attacking Russia.
Rising fuel costs are quickly turning into a major political headache for President Donald Trump.
With the important midterm elections around the corner, record prices at gas stations all over the country have made the median American voter displeased.
Trouble at the pump with voters
President Donald Trump touched on the sore subject on Sunday after average U.S. diesel prices soared past $6 a gallon. He publicly urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop hitting Russian oil facilities.
Speaking before leaving Ireland after his golf trip to visit his course during a tournament, Trump deflected blame for high prices and put it on the Ukrainian president while begging him to make it stop. “Mr. Zelenskyy has to do one thing. He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia,” he said.
Trump noted that he had raised the issue directly with him. “We spoke to Mr. Zelenskyy about it. There are plenty of other targets. Don’t hit diesel fuel, because that’s hurting, that’s hurting the world,” he added.
Pressure on prices
Meanwhile, the numbers show a different side of the story of why prices are so high. The war in Iran cut oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, removing vital supply lines from Gulf nations.
According to the AP, International Energy Agency data shows diesel exports dropped to “just over a quarter” of pre-war levels in August.
The agency noted that “disruptions to Russia’s refining system and a near-halt to product exports following intensified Ukrainian attacks have compounded these losses.”
Direct drone strikes
Meanwhile, the war between Russia and Ukraine continues to escalate. Drone strikes left civilians dead and injured across both countries over the weekend.
Russian officials reported two dead and 14 injured in Tatarstan near an industrial complex. On the other side, Ukrainian authorities reported Russian drone attacks hitting Odesa, killing two people and injuring 26 others.
