Donald Trump has horrified Ukraine after announcing a new deal to buy Russian diesel, a move which unpicks years of united western efforts to run down Vladimir Putin’s war machine.
Nato has spent the last four and a half years weaning itself off Russia’s cheap oil exports and cracking down on any of its remaining trade partners to put pressure on Moscow.
These economic sanctions were meant to encourage Putin to stop his gruelling invasion of Ukraine, even if such measures pushed energy prices up elsewhere.
But then Trump put more strain on the global economy when he agreed to launch strikes on Iran at the end of February.
Tehran retaliated by effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, a major oil shipping lane, putting further stress on oil supplies – and making the cost of living go up.
A gallon of fuel now averages $4.20 while diesel has soared to $6.52, affecting American farmers and therefore making food prices climb rapidly.
Trump’s deal with Putin comes shortly before the US midterms, where voters were expected to punish Trump’s Republican Party.
The US president wrote on TruthSocial on Friday: “I have just concluded a highly successful discussion with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, wherein it was agreed that Russia will immediately supply over 300,000 Tons of Diesel Fuel to the American and Global Marketplace, another 500,000 Tons during the month of November, and 1,000,000 Tons immediately thereafter.
“Based on the condition of their diesel refineries, Russia will then deliver, within a short period of time, 3,000,000 tons of diesel fuel.”
He added: “Diesel prices for Americans and, indeed, the world, will be COMING DOWN, IN RECORD NUMBERS, AND FAST! Lower prices for Americans, especially our Great Farmers, Ranchers, and Truckers, is my greatest priority.”
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Axios that the new announcement “looks like a happy birthday present for Putin”, after the Russian autocrat turned 74 this week.
He added that the “absolutely terrible” deal was “not fair and not honest”.
He also wrote on X that the deal amounted to “an investment in a war that must be ended, not prolonged” and warned Russia would repay with “further terror and perfidy”.
“It plays into Russia’s hands – allowing it to kill more, wage war for longer, have even less respect for America, and inflict even greater losses and damage on the world,” Zelenskyy said.
The deal was announced while US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were speaking to Ukrainian and European officials to discuss ending the war.
Another statement from Zelenskyy released by Ukraine’s embassy in Washington on Friday said the Ukrainian negotiators were “used as a smokescreen for the deal” which he called “a weak decision by strong partners”.
“That is certainly not fair. It is certainly not how partners should treat each other,” the statement read.
It comes after the president recently also slammed Ukraine for attacking Russian diesel refineries and urged Kyiv to choose different targets.
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