Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has criticised US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a deal with Russia to import Russian diesel fuel into the United States, describing it as a gift to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Zelensky said the agreement amounted to an “investment in a war that should be brought to an end, not prolonged.”
Trump announced that Putin had agreed to immediately release 300,000 tonnes of diesel fuel for the US and global markets. According to Trump, a further 500,000 tonnes would follow in November, with another one million tonnes to be delivered subsequently.
According to reported information, the US Treasury is suspending sanctions on Russian diesel exports until 7 April as part of the agreement. However, other Russian assets, including those held in US banks, will remain frozen.
In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump said that an additional three million tonnes of diesel fuel from Russia were expected to be delivered within a short period. He added that the shipments would depend on the condition of Russian refineries, which have been targeted by Ukrainian attacks.
Meanwhile, Putin declared that Russia was ready to supply oil and petroleum products to US and global markets. However, he did not specify the quantities that would be delivered. Russia had imposed a ban on diesel exports earlier this year.
In his response, Zelensky warned that Russia would use the proceeds from these supplies to fuel “further terror.”
“We count on America’s principled support for the defence of life and the protection of people in Ukraine—and on the United States having an equally strong conversation with Russia. A strong conversation, not a weak one,” he wrote.
