US President Donald Trump says 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.
Trump said on social media 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 Russia will immediately supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel, followed by an additional 500,000 tons in November and one million tonnes “immediately thereafter.”
Russia will deliver another three million tonnes “within a short period of time” after that, he wrote.
Trump’s shocking announcement comes after he signed a sweeping Russia sanctions law last month that aimed at clamping down on Russia’s energy economy, among other areas, that fuel its war against Ukraine.
The White House did not immediately respond to questions about who was paying for the diesel from Russia and when the fuel being supplied under the agreement would become available.
Diesel prices in the US have doubled since the war with Iran began in February, putting pressure on Republicans ahead of the midterm elections over the rising cost of living.
A terse statement from Putin, released by the Kremlin on Friday, said during his call he and Trump dedicated “significant attention to the prospects of resolving the Ukrainian crisis” and also discussed “the situation around Iran and various aspects of bilateral relations.”
Russia “confirmed its readiness to supply oil and oil products to the American and global markets,” Putin said.
“I am confident that this will have a positive impact on the entire global economy.”
The two leaders agreed to continue contacts, Putin said in the statement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reacted sharply in a social media post, calling it a gift to Putin and saying that the Russian leader was trying to strike “backroom deals” to buy time in the war.
“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,” he said.
Zelenskyy added in his post: “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.”
