President Donald Trump said he has struck a deal to obtain diesel from Russia, a stunning reversal of years of US pressure on Moscow over its war with Ukraine and an attempt to address high fuel prices ahead of the US midterm elections.
Trump said on social media on Saturday that he struck the deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call in which he was expected to discuss a suspected case of plague in Russia. Instead, Trump announced that Russia will immediately supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel, followed by an additional 500,000 tonnes in November and 1 million tons “immediately thereafter”. Russia will deliver an additional 3 million tonnes “within a short period of time” after that, he wrote.
Trump’s shocking announcement was in stark contrast to a sweeping Russia sanctions law he signed last month that aimed at clamping down on the oil and gas revenues that fuel Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called it “a weak decision, unfortunately, a weak decision by strong partners”, according to a statement released by the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington.
Trump announced the deal as his envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner were meeting with Ukrainian officials in Miami to discuss a proposal to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
“I believe our team is simply being used as a smokescreen. And that is certainly not fair. It is certainly not how partners should treat each other,” Zelensky said.
Trump’s move casts doubt on the likelihood of the White House imposing new sanctions on Russia, given that the law that passed overwhelmingly by Congress directs the administration to target countries that purchase Russian oil and gas. Lawmakers this week had urged the Trump administration to act quickly to use the tools available to help Ukraine.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, along with Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who is the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the ranking Democrat on the Banking Committtee, called Trump’s announcement a betrayal of Ukraine, the European allies and US national security.
“Enough is enough,” the senators wrote. “The President must end his war with Iran instead of funding Russia’s war machine.”
Gas prices globally have surged as the war in Iran upends the energy sector. While diesel future prices dipped on the news on Saturday, the national average for a gallon of diesel in the US remained high at US$6.28 (NZ$11.19), according to AAA, after hitting a record US$6.52 (NZ$11.61) on September 22.
Trump did not address the sanctions or Russia’s war but said, “Lower prices for Americans, especially our Great Farmers, Ranchers, and Truckers, is my Greatest Priority”.
Trump said later as he left the White House for a campaign rally that he was thankful for the deal. “I want to thank President Putin. To be honest with you, we have massive amounts of oil coming into our country, and it’s diesel, which is what we want. So, thank you,” Trump said. He did not answer shouted questions about the criticism from Zelensky.
