US President Donald Trump has said that Ukraine and Russia have agreed not to target each other's energy facilities, even as Kiev doubts Moscow’s willingness to abide by it.
"Ukraine has agreed not to hit Russian energy targets. Russia has agreed to do likewise!" Trump said on his Truth Social network on Monday.
"The world's diesel price rise is mostly caused by the Russia-Ukraine War, not Iran."
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine is ready to halt strikes on Russia if its partners ensure that Moscow will refrain from hitting Ukrainian energy facilities, infrastructure and food supply routes.
Posting his comments after Trump’s comments, Zelenskyy said Ukraine was not convinced that Russia was willing to abide by any agreement.
"The war must be brought to an end. And a de-escalatory step regarding critical infrastructure could be the first step toward peace. We expect specifics from our partners," Zelenskyy said on the Telegram app.
There was no immediate reaction from Moscow.
Trump's comments come as oil prices continue to soar in the seventh month of the Iran war, raising American fuel costs and inflation just weeks before the US midterm elections.
The US leader has insisted that the Iran war will finish immediately after the midterms and gas prices will drop.
Trump had lashed out at Zelenskyy during a trip to Ireland on Sunday, saying he had to do "one thing" and "stop knocking out diesel fuel" refineries in Russia due to growing shortages.
"Let him go after targets, but not diesel fuel, because he's causing a shortage of diesel," Trump said, again insisting the Russia-Ukraine war, not the US-Israel war on Iran, was to blame.
Trump added he had spoken to Ukraine's leader about the country's stepped-up attacks on such sites over recent months.
"There are plenty of other targets. Don't hit diesel fuel because that's hurting. That's hurting the world. We don't want him to hit diesel fuel. He's hitting diesel refineries."
Ukraine has hit numerous Russian oil refineries far from its border with Russia, while Moscow has also intensified its long-range attacks in recent months, leading to a jump in civilian deaths.
Kiev has been firing record numbers of drones at Russia, while Moscow has been launching all-time high missile attacks.
Trump said last week he had a "great conversation" with Russian President Vladimir Putin, insisting that Putin wanted to make a deal to end the war.
Putin "is wanting to make a deal, and if Zelenskyy is wanting to make a deal, that'd be very nice," Trump told reporters on Wednesday.
Zelenskyy said last week he would be willing to meet Putin at the G20 summit at Trump's own Doral resort in Miami in December, but the Kremlin immediately ruled it out.
