U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker is urging President Donald Trump to accept a proposed deal with Ukraine that the Mississippi Republican says could immediately lower fuel prices.
Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, developed the proposal and presented it to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a recent visit to Ukraine. The proposal includes Ukraine halting strikes on Russian energy facilities in exchange for expanded access to StarShield, the U.S. military’s satellite communications and targeting system.
U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, a Republican from North Dakota who traveled with Wicker to Ukraine, told CBS’ “Face the Nation” that Zelenskyy responded enthusiastically to the proposal and indicated Ukraine would comply right away if Trump agreed to it.
The proposal comes as the Trump administration has moved to ease sanctions on Russian diesel imports in an effort to bring down fuel prices. Trump announced an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to import Russian diesel, and the U.S. Treasury Department issued a temporary license allowing certain Russian diesel shipments to reach global markets.
Wicker took to social media Sunday and outlined four “facts” surrounding the proposal. In the post, he said Trump wants Ukraine to stop attacking Russian petroleum infrastructure, Zelenskyy wants U.S. targeting assistance to help prevent Russian missiles from being launched at Ukrainian civilians, Zelenskyy has agreed to the proposal, and Trump could immediately lower prices at the pump by accepting it.
Wicker ended the post with an impassioned plea: “MR. PRESIDENT, PLEASE TAKE THIS WIN!”
Fact 1: President Trump wants Ukraine to stop attacking Russian petroleum infrastructure.
Fact 2: President Zelenskyy wants access to U.S. targeting assistance to stop Russian missiles from being launched at Ukrainian civilians from inside Russia.
Fact 3: President Zelenskyy has agreed not to hit Russian petroleum in exchange for this targeting assistance.
Fact 4: President Trump can lower prices at the pump today by simply agreeing to this deal!MR. PRESIDENT, PLEASE TAKE THIS WIN!
— Senator Roger Wicker (@SenatorWicker) October 18, 2026
The war between Russia and Ukraine began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, escalating a conflict that began in 2014. Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom Wicker has repeatedly called a “war criminal” and compared to Adolf Hitler, has sought to assert control over Ukraine, which declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Ukraine has also pursued membership in NATO, the global military alliance that has condemned Russia’s invasion.
The war, along with ongoing conflict involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran, has contributed to volatility in global energy markets and higher fuel prices in the U.S. Disruptions to oil production, refining, and transportation have put pressure on supplies.
Don Redman, Mississippi spokesperson for AAA, said earlier this fall that the effects on American consumers would persist as long as conflict continued. Easing tensions between Russia and Ukraine could help bring prices down, he said.
“Right now, with the way the Ukrainian drones are attacking refineries in Russia, that’s really putting a lot of pressure on fuel, particularly diesel,” Redman said. “As long as those drone strikes continue at the refineries inside of Russia, that’s going to have an impact on prices, so it’s definitely hurting us domestically.
“Again, you’ve got two different wars going on, and just now do we really see that Ukraine is punching back into Russia and that’s absolutely having an impact on fuel prices, as well as the ongoing war with Iran.”
According to AAA, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline on Monday was $4.30, compared with $3.89 in Mississippi. Both averages were more than $1.20 higher than a year ago.
Diesel prices have climbed even higher. The national average was $6.32 per gallon Monday, while Mississippi’s average was $5.86. Both were more than $2.60 higher than a year ago.
Ukraine launched more than 1,000 drones at Russia on Sunday in one of its largest aerial attacks of the war, according to the Associated Press. The strikes set fire to an oil export terminal and a depot in St. Petersburg.
Russia retaliated Monday with missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without electricity, heat, or water, the AP reported.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.