Trump tells Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian refineries

President Trump called on Ukraine to stop striking Russian refineries and other parts of the oil and gas sector, arguing the attacks were creating a diesel shortage. He made the remarks on Sunday while in Ireland, watching the Irish Open at one of his golf courses for the weekend.

Asked by a reporter whether he had spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following his recent conversation with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Trump said Zelenskyy should take action to prevent further damage to Russian diesel supplies. He added that Ukraine could still target other sites, but should not focus on diesel fuel, according to what he told reporters.

Ukraine’s long-range attacks in recent weeks have focused on Russia’s energy industry, which Kyiv says helps both fund and directly sustain Russia’s war effort. The Ukrainian drone campaign has contributed to fuel rationing in Russia, despite the country being a major oil and gas exporter. Some strikes have also hit consumer-focused targets, including major online retailers, bringing the impact of the war closer to the public.

Drone Attacks across Regions

The comments came as Russia and Ukraine continued exchanging overnight waves of drone attacks.

In Russia, local officials said two people were killed in the republic of Tatarstan. Ukrainian authorities reported Russian drone strikes on the Black Sea port of Odesa and a fire near a border crossing with Poland.

Russia has increased its air campaign in recent weeks, using ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones to push through Ukrainian defences and exploit what Moscow says are dwindling stocks of missile interceptors. Russian strikes have also targeted Ukraine’s electricity infrastructure ahead of winter, with Ukrainian and allied officials saying the aim is to weaken civilian morale and resilience.

Drone Hits Train Near Polish Border

Ukraine’s rail operator, Ukrzaliznytsia, said a Russian drone struck a train near the Ukraine-Poland border shortly after a diplomatic train carrying senior Western figures passed along the same line.

Ukrzaliznytsia said the drone hit the train’s engine near the town of Yahodyn, and that there were no casualties because passengers were evacuated. Russia later said it struck “railway infrastructure” in western Ukraine.

The operator said the drone may have targeted the diplomatic train, which departed the station earlier than planned due to timetable changes made because of repeated threats of Russian strikes. CBS News partner BBC News reported that Boris Johnson, ex-CIA director David Petraeus and other European security advisers had travelled on the same train route on their way back from a conference in Kyiv.

Johnson condemned the attack in a social media post, describing it as random and senseless, and called for air defences to better protect Ukraine.

Russia’s defence ministry said Sunday that strikes continued on railway infrastructure used to transport military cargo from European countries, in a statement carried by Agence France-Presse.

Kremlin open to Autumn Talks

Separately, the Kremlin said on Sunday that Moscow is open to restarting peace talks in the autumn involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the option remained under consideration and that October could not be ruled out. He said the discussions would take place in the foreseeable future.

Last weekend, US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met Putin in Moscow, before travelling to Kyiv to meet Zelenskyy. Despite the renewed diplomatic push, both sides’ core demands remain difficult to reconcile, particularly over territorial arrangements.

Kushner said the question of territory would be central, adding that the mediator’s role was to find a solution that meets Ukraine’s aims while persuading Russia to end the conflict.

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14 September 2026