The US President Donald Trump has allowed the Kremlin to supply Russian diesel fuel to the American and global markets because Volodymyr Zelensky refused to stop strikes on refineries in Russia.
Axios reported this, citing sources.
Sources said that with these strikes, Zelensky is “undermining the good relationship he has built with Trump over the past six months”. According to the source, Trump wants Ukraine to unilaterally stop attacking Russian oil refineries because they contribute to higher diesel prices.
At the same time, Trump does not believe that attacks on refineries in Russia are equivalent to Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy.
Axios points out that the day before, Trumpʼs special envoy, Steve Witkoff, told the Ukrainian negotiating team in Miami that Trump had decided to "move on" after Ukraine ignored his request to strike the refinery. Thatʼs why the US president decided to lift sanctions on Russian diesel exports.
Another Ukrainian source claims that American envoys threatened during the conversation that Trump could stop sharing intelligence with Ukraine. The source also said that the American side believes that Putin is ready to negotiate an end to the war, despite the attacks on Ukraine.
- The day before, Trump announced that he had reached an agreement with Vladimir Putin on the supply of Russian diesel fuel to the American and world markets. According to him, Russia will initially supply 300 000 tons of fuel, in November — another 500 000 tons, then — another million tons. Russia will also supply another three million tons of fuel later.
- President Zelensky responded to Trumpʼs statement and said that the Ukrainian negotiating team is "being used as a cover". The Ukrainian team is currently in Florida, where it is discussing with the American side the end of the war or a ceasefire. He added that the first step should be to stop the attacks on the energy sector.
- Zelensky believes that Trumpʼs statement is not honest and partnership-based. He called the agreements between the United States and Russia “a weak decision by strong partners”.
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