US President Donald Trump’s remark about Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries indicates his dissatisfaction with Vladimir Zelensky, Alexander Protsenko, chairman of the Russian Society of Political Scientists’ branch in the Lugansk People’s Republic, told TASS.
Trump said earlier that Ukraine must stop attacking Russian oil facilities because they could allegedly create global diesel shortages.
"Trump’s statements should not be seen as concern about the global diesel market or an expression of humanism. On the one hand, it’s an electoral rhetorical maneuver aimed at shifting responsibility for a sharp rise in fuel prices in the United States. Average US diesel prices have for the first time in history exceeded $6 per gallon, which is really hitting the pockets of ordinary Americans, meaning that it is also hitting the not so bright electoral prospects of Republicans. <...> Meanwhile, it is rather symptomatic that Zelensky was mentioned in this regard, albeit in one remark. The matter is that, while being part of electoral rhetoric, Trump’s remark also sent a clear message to Kiev that Washington is dissatisfied with their behavior as it is bothering the Americans," the expert said.
Protsenko noted that in his remark, Trump had also stressed that global diesel shortages were the result of Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries. According to the analyst, the real reason is the US conflict with Iran. "However, the US president is confident that voters won’t try to understand the geopolitical intricacies, so he once again decided on who to point his finger at and who to blame," he concluded.
