Trump calls on Zelenskyy to stop striking Russian diesel, says attacks are causing a shortage

US President Donald Trump lashed out overnight at Ukraine for targeting Russian oil refineries, vowed to end tariffs on Irish whiskey and played down the threat from artificial intelligence on a two-day trip to Ireland, which again saw him mix diplomacy and personal business interests.

Trump ended his stay by presenting the Irish Open golf trophy to tournament winner Shane Lowry at his Doonbeg golf resort on Ireland's west coast.

The ever-unpredictable American leader said that Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy 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, insisting the Russia-Ukraine war — not the US-Israel conflict with Iran — was to blame.

Oil prices have soared as attacks in the Middle East have intensified, raising American fuel costs and inflation and fueling speculation that the Federal Reserve will hike interest rates just weeks before the US midterm elections.

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The US national average price for diesel, which is used by trucks, trains, ships and farm equipment, rose over US$6 ($8.37) a gallon for the first time on Thursday, according to price tracker GasBuddy.

Russia downgraded its oil output forecast for this year to a 17-year low and revised its fuel exports outlook for 2026 and 2027 due to the war, according to a government draft forecast.

At the end of his visit to Ireland on Sunday local time, Trump said he would remove a 10 per cent tariff on Irish whiskey, a duty that currently applies to all European Union wine and spirit exports to the United States.

Trump made the announcement in front of a crowd of golf fans at the Irish Open. He met Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin in Dublin on Saturday at the start of a 48-hour visit to the country.

"Taoiseach (Ireland's Prime Minister) and I talked about it and Shane (golfer Shane Lowry) talked about it and everybody has been bugging me saying 'would you do me a favor? It's so unfair what's going on. Could you possibly take the tariffs off of Irish whiskey?," Trump said.

"And I said on behalf of the United States of America, I am going to take the tariffs off Irish whiskey," he announced to loud cheers from the crowd.

He also weighed in on the growing controversy over AI safety , saying that "negative" forces opposed its development.

On Saturday, he caught his Irish hosts and neighbouring Britain off-guard when he announced he would "love to see" a united Ireland.