Trump blames Russia-Ukraine war, not Iran, for surging diesel prices

US President Donald Trump said Monday (local time) that the recent sharp rise in diesel prices is a consequence of the Russia-Ukraine war, which has lasted more than four years, and claimed that Ukraine and Russia have agreed not to strike each other's energy facilities.

In an SNS post that day, Trump said Ukraine "agreed not to hit Russian energy targets" and that Russia had likewise agreed to do the same. He added that the rise in global diesel prices was "mainly because of the Russia and Ukraine war, not Iran."

Trump made similar remarks during his visit to Ireland on Monday, urging Ukraine to "stop attacking Russia's diesel facilities" and arguing that a diesel shortage was being caused by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine — "not because of the Middle East."

In the same SNS post, Trump also revisited the subject of a potential deal with Iran. "The failing nation of Iran wants to make a deal, quickly and desperately," he wrote, adding that he would decide whether the United States would enter into negotiations. He said he remained "open to the idea" of doing so.

Diesel prices are a particularly sensitive gauge of living costs in the United States. Domestic diesel prices have surged to an all-time high in line with global trends, topping $6 per gallon. While Trump dismissed any Middle East connection, experts have cited the war with Iran as a key factor deepening the global supply crunch. Recent Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries — Russia being a major diesel exporter — are also seen as having contributed to the price spike.

With midterm elections approaching, Trump appeared to be deflecting blame for rising grocery prices by attributing the diesel surge to the pre-existing Russia-Ukraine war rather than to the Iran conflict he initiated. At the same time, his message that Iran is eager to reach a deal with the United States seemed designed to bolster his claim that global oil prices would stabilize soon. Oil prices continued to climb that day, with Brent crude surpassing $105 a barrel and West Texas Intermediate topping $101.