Diesel Hits New High of $6.23 as Trump Urges Ukraine to Halt Russian Refinery Attacks

The national average price of diesel climbed to a fresh record of $6.23 per gallon on Monday as President Donald Trump once again called on Ukraine to stop striking Russian refineries, saying the attacks were worsening a global fuel shortage.

Diesel averaged $6.23 per gallon on Sept. 14, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA), up from $6.20 the previous day and $5.90 a week earlier.

Prices have risen more than 80 cents over the past month and are nearly $2.54 higher than a year ago, when diesel averaged $3.69 per gallon.

Diesel powers much of the country’s trucking, freight, farming, and delivery networks, with higher fuel prices raising the cost of transporting everyday goods. High diesel prices were a big factor behind August’s 0.4 percentage point jump in U.S. wholesale inflation, which rose to an annualized 5.4 percent.

Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday that Ukrainian attacks on Russian refining facilities were adding to diesel supply pressures—and causing a “big up” in prices.

“I’ve asked President Zelenskyy not to hit the diesel plants, refineries,” Trump said while returning from Ireland.

“Diesel is being driven up by the fact that it’s having a hard time coming out of Russia, and that’s a case that hurts the world. We got to stop.”

Trump made similar remarks earlier Sunday on the sidelines of the Irish Open, saying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “has to do one thing—he has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia.”

“There are plenty of other targets,” Trump said. “Don’t hit diesel fuel, because that’s hurting the world.”

Ukraine Defends Refinery Strikes

Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Russia’s oil and gas infrastructure with long-range drones and missiles, describing the facilities as part of the economic machinery supporting Moscow’s war effort.

Russia responded to mounting domestic supply pressures in July by banning diesel exports.

Zelenskyy has defended the attacks, saying they weaken Russia’s ability to finance and sustain its military operations.

“Last night, our long-range sanctions reached two oil refineries in Russia,” Zelenskyy said in a June 28 post on X, referring to strikes on facilities in the Krasnodar and Yaroslavl regions.

“We continue our operations that weaken Russia’s ability to wage this war. Each of our long-range sanctions means fewer resources serving Russia’s war machine, and another step toward peace.”

More recently, Zelenskyy said on Sept. 12 that Ukrainian forces targeted Russia’s petrochemical industry, hitting an oil facility in Perm and a crude storage tank in Taganrog.

Ukraine’s own energy and civilian infrastructure has faced sustained Russian attacks throughout the conflict.

“This week alone, Russia launched around 2,100 drones against Ukraine—a significant share of them jet-powered ‘shaheds,’ which the Russians are using in an attempt to cripple the economy and destroy people’s lives,” Zelenskyy said in a Sept. 13 post.

“Last night and this morning, energy facilities, Ukrzaliznytsia, businesses, and ordinary residential buildings came under attack.”

Hormuz Disruptions Deepen Shortage

The pressure on Russian refining capacity has worsened a global diesel shortage driven by the U.S.–Iran war and restricted commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

The strategically important waterway carried roughly one-fifth of global oil consumption and a similar share of liquefied natural gas trade before the war began on Feb. 28.

About 125 large commercial vessels typically passed through the strait each day before the conflict. Recent daily transit levels have fallen to a fraction of that figure as the United States and Iran vie for control of the shipping route.

Diesel and oil exports from Gulf countries averaged 390,000 barrels per day in August, slightly more than one-quarter of their pre-war level, according to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) September oil market report.

The agency said “severely constrained” flows through Hormuz were a key factor, with Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russia further straining supplies.

“Disruptions to Russia’s refining system and a near-halt to product exports following intensified Ukrainian attacks have compounded these losses,” the IEA said.

U.S. diesel prices surpassed $200 per barrel in early September, approximately 94 percent above their pre-war level, the IEA said. Diesel and related middle-distillate fuels account for nearly 30 percent of global oil demand.