Trump blames Ukraine, Democrats for US gasoline price rise

US President Donald Trump said that the sharp rise in gasoline prices in the country is being driven not by the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, but by Ukraine's strikes on Russian oil refineries. He also put part of the blame on Democrats, who, he said, are shutting down refineries in the states they control, including California.

Trump looks for someone to blame ahead of the elections

In a social media post, Trump wrote that what is now pushing gasoline prices up is not the Strait of Hormuz — through which, he said, a record number of barrels of oil is imported almost daily — but the word “refinery”: “Ukraine is blowing up Russian oil refineries.” His Republican Party risks losing its majority in the November congressional elections, and Trump is using the rise in gasoline prices as an occasion to blame Democrats — who, he said, are the ones shutting down refineries in the states they run.

What happened with the Strait of Hormuz

Energy prices rose sharply after maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz dropped, following the start of the US and Israeli war against Iran. Iran, for which the strait had long been a key route for shipping oil and gas, is threatening to attack vessels in these waters and is itself under an American naval blockade. The drop in traffic has made it harder for Gulf countries to export oil. However, according to the consultancy Kpler, cited by international news agencies, oil exports from Gulf countries other than Iran itself returned to pre-war levels in the second half of September — partly thanks to routes that bypass the Strait of Hormuz.

Ukraine vows to intensify strikes on oil refineries

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that, in response to massive Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities, Ukraine would step up its attacks on Russian oil refineries. Ukraine, now in its fifth year of repelling the Russian invasion, is already striking refineries deep inside Russian territory. According to the Ukrainian side, these strikes are meant to deprive Russia of revenue to fund the war, and have already caused fuel shortages in several regions of the country. International news agencies say Ukraine's strikes on Russian oil facilities are also contributing to the rise in global prices — most noticeably in the increased cost of diesel fuel.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz

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