Trump says Ukraine and Russia agreed to stop striking energy sites

US President Donald Trump said on Monday via a Truth Social post that Ukraine and Russia had both agreed to stop targeting each other's energy infrastructure. He also claimed that the global rise in diesel prices was mainly driven by the Russia-Ukraine war rather than the conflict with Iran.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said no agreement had been officially confirmed yet. According to him, Ukraine proposed that its partners secure a deal with Russia to stop the destruction of critical infrastructure. He added that Ukraine would be ready to halt its own strikes if partners could guarantee that Russia genuinely stops attacking Ukraine's electricity grid, other energy facilities, critical infrastructure and food supply routes.

Oil market disruption

While both conflicts have caused significant global energy shocks, experts say the Middle East war has caused considerably larger disruption to global oil supply. Oil prices have surged since late February, when the US and Israel struck Iran, prompting Iranian forces to effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz — a key chokepoint that normally carries around a quarter of the world's seaborne oil trade.

Trump's statement followed his call over the weekend, during a trip to Ireland, for Kyiv to stop attacking Russian diesel infrastructure. Ukraine has recently intensified strikes on Russian energy facilities as part of a campaign to weaken the Russian economy, while Russia has repeatedly attacked Ukraine's energy infrastructure since launching its full-scale invasion in February 2022, particularly during winter months.

The rise in fuel costs comes as Americans head toward November's midterm elections. California Governor Gavin Newsom criticised US Energy Secretary Chris Wright on social media, arguing the administration failed to protect Americans from predictable consequences of the Iran conflict.