Key facts
- Zelenskyy asked Trump to signal to Russia not to attack Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
- Ukraine has increased attacks on Russia's energy sector.
- Trump blamed the war in Ukraine for exacerbating global energy shortages.
- Average diesel prices in the US reached a record $6.50 per gallon on Monday.
- Zelenskyy said Kyiv would accept an energy ceasefire if Moscow agreed to it.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appealed to Donald Trump to help broker an "energy ceasefire" with Russia, urging the former US president to signal to Moscow that attacks on energy infrastructure should cease. Zelenskyy stated on ABC's "This Week" that Ukraine is prepared to reciprocate if Russia stops targeting its diesel and refineries.
Zelenskyy's call comes as global diesel prices have surged, partly due to the conflict in Ukraine and related geopolitical events. Trump has previously blamed the war for exacerbating energy shortages and has urged Zelenskyy to stop attacking Russian refineries. According to a senior Ukrainian official speaking to the Financial Times, a recent phone call between Trump and Zelenskyy focused heavily on the issue of diesel.
Trump is expected to meet with Zelenskyy during the United Nations high-level week, where the topic of an energy ceasefire is anticipated to be a key point of discussion. Trump had previously claimed that an energy ceasefire had been agreed upon, a statement that Zelenskyy later described as news to him but indicated Kyiv would accept if Moscow genuinely agreed. Ukraine has recently escalated its attacks on Russia's energy sector, including a significant strike on an oil refinery in the Moscow region.
Trump has also criticized Zelenskyy's leadership and suggested Ukraine needs a new president, a stance that has drawn criticism from within his own party. Zelenskyy, in turn, has stated that leadership choices are up to Ukraine's society and has linked the possibility of elections to a comprehensive ceasefire from Russia.