Trump announces Russian diesel deal; Zelensky calls it a gift to Putin
Donald Trump said Russia agreed to release diesel into US and global markets, easing sanctions on Moscow. Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the move as funding Russia's war.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Russia had agreed to release diesel into US and global markets, easing war sanctions on Moscow as he seeks to lower energy costs. Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, condemned the move as a gift to Vladimir Putin.
What was announced
Trump said he had secured Russia's agreement for a major release of diesel, according to accounts of his announcement on Friday. The deal involves the United States buying Russian diesel, and it was accompanied by a loosening of sanctions imposed on Moscow over the war in Ukraine.
The US president framed the agreement as a way to bring down fuel prices. The announcement comes weeks before US midterm elections, with energy costs a central political issue.
Zelensky's response
Zelensky reacted furiously, calling the deal "absolutely terrible" and "not fair". He said the arrangement amounted to an "investment in war that must be ended, not prolonged", arguing that it would give Russia more money to keep attacking Ukraine.
His criticism was echoed in warnings from Kyiv that the deal would effectively bankroll Russia's war effort. The agreement upends years of US and western pressure on the Kremlin aimed at ending the conflict.
Why it matters for Europe
The deal puts Washington on a collision course with Ukraine and Nato allies in Europe, which have spent years coordinating sanctions on Russian energy exports. If the United States buys Russian diesel while European governments maintain restrictions, that unity becomes harder to sustain.
For European consumers and governments, the signal matters as much as the volume: any easing of pressure on Moscow raises questions about how long the sanctions regime can hold, and whether Europe will be asked to absorb the costs of a transatlantic split over energy policy.
Sources
- BBC News: Trump announces deal for Russian diesel as Zelensky calls it a gift to Putin
- Al Jazeera: Ukraine warns Trump-Putin diesel deal will bankroll Russia’s war
- France 24: Trump hails Russia deal to release diesel as midterms loom
- Euronews: Zelenskyy hits out at 'gifts to Putin' after Trump announces deal for Russian diesel
- The Guardian: Zelenskyy furious as Trump announces deal to buy Russian diesel
- Politico Europe: Trump lifts sanctions on Russian diesel, suggests US may buy amid surging fuel prices
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