---
title: "Trump demanded Zelensky stop strikes on refineries due to a 'global diesel shortage'"
description: "Donald Trump told journalists that Zelensky must stop strikes on Russian refineries, which allegedly cause a global diesel fuel shortage. The statement came against the backdrop of large-scale attacks on Russia's oil refining sector."
date: 2026-09-13T14:26:01.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/trump-demands-zelensky-stop-strikes-on-refineries
tags: [trump, zelensky, ukraine, russia, oil-refineries, diesel-shortage]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Trump demanded Zelensky stop strikes on refineries due to a 'global diesel shortage'

![Donald Trump at his desk in the Oval Office reviewing a document after demanding Zelensky stop strikes on refineries due to a global diesel shortage](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/13/tramp-trebuyet-ot-zelenskogo-prekratit-udary-po-npz/tramp-trebuyet-ot-zelenskogo-prekratit-udary-po-npz-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Trump demanded that Zelensky stop strikes on refineries, accusing them of causing a 'global diesel shortage.'
- The IEA lowered its forecast for Russian oil refining to 4 million barrels per day, 30% below pre-war levels.
- On the night of September 8, drones attacked the Saratov refinery; industry recovery will take at least a year and a half.

US President Donald Trump, in a comment to journalists, stated that Ukraine must cease strikes on Russian infrastructure, claiming that these actions lead to a global shortage of diesel fuel. According to RBC-Ukraine, the politician directly linked the attacks on Russian oil refineries with the diesel shortage on the world market and called on the Ukrainian side to change its tactics.

### Ultimatum over the 'diesel shortage'

'Zelensky needs to do one thing. He needs to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia. It is causing a diesel shortage,' Trump said. In doing so, the American leader effectively issued a demand to the Ukrainian president to change his approach to strikes on oil refining facilities, accusing Kyiv of creating the fuel shortage on international markets.

### Context: the largest wave of attacks on refineries

The statement came against the backdrop of Russian oil refineries facing the largest wave of attacks since the start of the full-scale invasion in August. Due to the systematic destruction of critical infrastructure, international analysts forecast a prolonged decline in the industry. In particular, the International Energy Agency (IEA) lowered its forecast for Russian oil refining over the next year and a half to 4 million barrels per day — 30% lower than the figures recorded before the start of the full-scale war.

### Saratov refinery: one of the latest targets hit

One of the latest targets hit was the Saratov refinery — Russia's oldest plant, which drones struck on the night of September 8. The facility can process nearly 5 million tons of oil per year; as a result of the hits, a fire broke out on its territory, and local authorities confirmed damage to the facility.

### Industry recovery forecasts

According to experts' estimates, Russian oil refining will lose about 30% of its pre-war volume, and the recovery of indicators will take at least a year and a half. This means that even if the attacks cease, the industry will not be able to quickly return to pre-war levels, which in turn affects the availability of fuel on external markets.

### Contradictory data

The provided materials contain a discrepancy in the causal interpretation. On the one hand, Trump claims that it is the actions of the Ukrainian side that 'cause a diesel shortage,' and demands that Zelensky stop the strikes. On the other hand, documented IEA data record a 30% decline in refining as a measurable consequence of the systematic destruction of infrastructure, and the context of the attacks is linked to the course of the full-scale war. The provided sources lack an official reaction from the Ukrainian side to the ultimatum, so the claim of a 'global shortage' as the sole responsibility of Kyiv remains the position of one of the parties, not a fact confirmed by both sides.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Trump wants Zelensky to stop strikes on Russian refineries](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/tramp-zvinuvachue-zelenskogo-defitsiti-dizpaliva-1789309284.html) - Первичный источник цитаты Трампа о «дефиците дизеля» и требовании прекратить удары.
- [Strikes must stop: Trump issued Zelensky a hard ultimatum](https://glavred.info/war/udary-nuzhno-prekratit-tramp-vydvinul-zelenskomu-zhestkiy-ultimatum-10796381.html) - Подтверждает формулировку ультиматума Трампа Зеленскому.
- [Trump calls on Zelensky to stop strikes on Russian refineries](https://novosti.ua/politics/tramp-trebuet-chtoby-ukraina-prekratila-udary-po-rossiyskim-npz) - Независимое подтверждение призыва остановить удары по НПЗ.
- [Trump said Zelensky must stop attacks on diesel fuel in Russia](https://www.pravda.com.ua/rus/news/2026/09/13/8053221/) - Подтверждает заявление от 13.09.2026 о прекращении атак на дизельное топливо.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: What exactly did Trump say about Ukraine's actions?
**A:** Trump stated that Zelensky must stop strikes on Russian refineries, which, according to him, are causing a diesel fuel shortage on the world market.

### Q: What is the IEA's forecast for Russian oil refining?
**A:** The IEA lowered its forecast for Russian oil refining over the next year and a half to 4 million barrels per day, which is 30% below pre-war levels.

### Q: Which facility was attacked on September 8?
**A:** On the night of September 8, drones attacked the Saratov refinery, which can process nearly 5 million tons of oil per year; a fire broke out at the facility, and local authorities confirmed the damage.