Kremlin backs Trump's call for Ukraine to stop strikes on Russian oil refineries
Dmitry Peskov (photo: Getty Images)
The Kremlin welcomed US President Donald Trump's call for Ukraine to stop strikes on oil refineries in Russia, Russian leader Vladimir Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, according to Russia's Interfax.
According to him, the Russian side supports calls for Ukraine to refrain from attacks on diesel fuel production facilities.
"Of course, any call on the Kyiv regime to stop strikes on civilian economic infrastructure can only be welcomed," Peskov said.
At the same time, the Russian leader's spokesperson declined to answer whether Russia itself would refrain from strikes on Ukraine's economic infrastructure if Kyiv agreed to Trump's call.
On September 13, the US president said that Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries were allegedly causing fuel prices to rise. According to him, this is why he called on Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop such attacks.
Trump previously said that Ukraine should refrain from strikes on Russian infrastructure because they could allegedly cause a global diesel fuel shortage. The US president believes Kyiv should change its tactics.
In August, Russian oil refineries faced the largest wave of attacks since the start of the full-scale war. Amid systematic strikes on critical infrastructure, analysts predict a prolonged decline in Russia's oil refining industry.
In particular, the International Energy Agency lowered its forecast for Russian oil refining volumes over the next 1.5 years to 4 million barrels per day. This is about 30% below the levels recorded before the start of the full-scale war.
