Donald Trump Defends Russia Diesel Deal Amid Fuel Price Pressure And Zelenskyy Criticism

US President Donald Trump stood by his diesel supply deal with Russia on Monday, saying it would help cool fuel prices worldwide and support American farmers and ranchers, Livemint reported. He spoke to reporters before leaving for Ohio, where he was due to hold a midterm campaign rally.

"We make a lot of oil. We could impose a restriction on oil, but the rest of the world would be greatly affected if we did that. We could do a restriction, a cap on diesel. Keep it all for ourselves. That would have a very big impact. It's not really a deal for me; it's a deal for the rest of the world. Anything that could help our farmers, our ranchers," Trump said.

Trump's comments came within weeks of signing a wide-ranging Russia sanctions law designed to choke off oil and gas income that helps finance Moscow's war in Ukraine. The deal also breaks with years of US pressure on Russia and comes as the White House tries to ease fuel costs before the 3 November midterm elections, with diesel prices said to be hurting Republicans.

Deal Details And Timing

Trump laid out the supply plan on 9 October in a Truth Social post. He wrote that, after a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russia had agreed to immediately supply over 300,000 tonnes of diesel.

The same post said another 500,000 tonnes would follow in November. It also promised one million tonnes "immediately thereafter".

The move ran against the sanctions law Trump signed in September, which was meant to curb Russian oil and gas revenue tied to the war in Ukraine. It also came just two days before he объявed an "energy ceasefire" between Moscow and Kyiv, "effective immediately."

War And Fuel Politics

The ceasefire is under strain. Moscow and Kyiv have both questioned whether the proposed pause is holding, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia has kept hitting Ukraine's energy infrastructure after the announcement.

Fuel prices sit at the centre of the row. Last week, Trump attacked Zelenskyy for attacking Russia's energy infrastructure and blamed Kyiv's continued strikes for rising diesel prices, which are reportedly hurting Republicans before the midterms.

Trump sharpened that line again on Monday. "I do think this: Zelenskyy has to focus on making the deal, not talking about that," he said.

He also suggested Putin was more willing than Zelenskyy to settle the war. "I think what's happening is he (Russian President Putin) wants to make a deal, and we have to get Zelenskyy to want to make a deal... I think they're going to make a deal. I think actually Putin wants to make a deal more than Zelenskyy," Trump said.

Zelenskyy's Rebuttal

Zelenskyy rejected the diesel arrangement in blunt terms. Reacting to Trump's announcement, he called it "absolutely terrible" and "not fair and not honest".

According to The Guardian, Zelenskyy stressed that "back room deals" with Putin would give the Russian President more opportunities on the battlefield.

In a post on X, Zelenskyy wrote, "Gifts to Putin will not bring peace or any benefit to the civilized world. Russia will “repay” the diesel with further terror and perfidy. Allowing Russia to sell petroleum products is an investment in a war that must be ended, not prolonged. What is needed is real de-escalation with Russia on a reciprocal basis."