Washington/Kyiv: A rift has openly emerged between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy regarding a major diesel deal involving the US and Russia.
Retaliating after Zelenskyy described the agreement as a “weak decision” and a “gift to Putin,” President Trump stated on Saturday that the time has come for Ukraine to have a new president—one capable of striking a deal.
Trump’s Direct Attack on Zelenskyy: “The War Should Never Have Started”
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Donald Trump sharply criticized Zelenskyy for failing to reach an agreement to end the war with Russia.
Trump claimed that had he been the US President in 2022, the Russia-Ukraine war would never have begun. He asserted that there was no reason for the war to start and that it was triggered solely by incompetence.
Targeting Zelenskyy, Trump noted that the country has lost 30% of its territory and that over two million people—combined from both sides—have been killed.
Trump also expressed strong displeasure regarding the ongoing Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries, stating that Zelenskyy seems intent on creating problems for the entire world.
According to Trump, he had clearly told Ukraine to do whatever they wished regarding Russia but to avoid targeting refineries, as doing so precipitates a global crisis.
Trump warned that Zelenskyy must stop this immediately. He added that while Zelenskyy had numerous opportunities to reach an agreement, for some reason, he never closes a deal.
It is worth noting that Trump had also demanded fresh elections in Ukraine last December; however, elections have been suspended there due to the imposition of martial law following the outbreak of the war in 2022.
What is the US-Russia diesel deal and the reason behind it?
Trump announced this deal on Friday following talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, aiming to curb rising energy prices in the US ahead of the midterm elections. Under this agreement, sanctions on Russian diesel exports have been suspended until April 7.
The Kremlin has also confirmed that Russia is ready to supply oil and oil products to US and global markets.
Trump shared on the social media platform ‘Truth Social’ that, under this agreement, Russia would immediately release 300,000 tonnes of diesel into the US and global markets.
This would be followed by the supply of an additional 500,000 tonnes in November, then 1 million tonnes, and subsequently 3 million tonnes within a short timeframe. However, Trump clarified that these future supplies would depend on the operational status of Russian diesel refineries.
According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the average price of diesel in the US has currently reached $6.28 per gallon, up from $5.94 last month and just $3.68 last year.
Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency (IEA) reports that diesel production in Russia has fallen by an estimated 30% over the past 10 months due to Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refineries, causing the country to face severe fuel crises on two occasions.
“Russia said ‘thank you’ by dropping bombs on Zaporizhzhia”: Zelenskyy
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has termed this deal a “weak decision” that goes against the dignity of partners. He warned that this agreement would provide Moscow with new funds, enabling it to purchase new military equipment and continue the war against Ukraine.
Recently, both Russia and Ukraine have intensified attacks on each other’s energy facilities, transport infrastructure, and logistics hubs.
Referring to the latest deadly Russian strikes on Zaporizhzhia, Zelenskyy wrote on the social media platform ‘X’ that Russia had expressed its “thanks” for the lifting of the diesel export ban by dropping five glide bombs on residential buildings in the city today.
He alleged that Moscow views this deal as a signal that it can continue the fighting and keep bombing cities.
Russia’s Reaction and Trump’s Statement on Houthi Rebels
While Ukraine is deeply upset by this deal, President Putin’s envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, has described Trump’s intervention as “historic and brilliant.” He stated that Ukraine truly needs leadership that focuses on peace.
Meanwhile, during discussions at the White House, Trump also responded to Saudi Arabia’s recent attacks on Houthi rebels. When asked by reporters whether the US would support Saudi Arabia in these attacks, Trump replied that the US might do so.
He mentioned that he had just learned about the recent attack, the administration was considering the matter, and a decision would be made very soon.
