Kremlin backs Trump's call for Ukraine to stop hitting Russian oil refineries, dodges question on reciprocity

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was asked at a September 14 briefing about U.S. President Donald Trump's call for Ukraine's armed forces to stop attacking Russian facilities that produce diesel fuel.

Peskov said the Kremlin welcomes any call for Kyiv to halt strikes on civilian economic infrastructure.

However, when a reporter asked whether Russia would be willing to stop its own strikes on Ukraine's economic infrastructure as a reciprocal gesture, Peskov declined to give a direct answer.

Trump's remarks

A day earlier, Trump said that strikes on Russian oil refineries were causing diesel shortages and pushing up prices. He stated that this disruption was not linked to events in the Middle East, but was a direct consequence of the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Ukraine has recently intensified strikes on Russia's oil industry infrastructure, which has led to fuel supply disruptions in several Russian regions.