Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned the US-Russia diesel deal, saying Moscow was expressing its “thanks” by attacking Ukraine as fresh Russian strikes killed 16 people on Saturday, according to wire reports.
What the US-Russia Diesel Deal Involves
US President Donald Trump announced the deal on Friday after a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Under it, Moscow would release large amounts of diesel onto global markets in exchange for sanctions relief. Reports say that Russia would supply 300,000 metric tons of diesel, a partial easing of US sanctions on Russian oil imports, and that oil prices fell after the announcement.
Zelensky said on Friday the deal was “unworthy of our partners” and called it a “weak decision”. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said lifting sanctions on Russian diesel would help fuel the Kremlin’s war, adding: “This is not the time to ease pressure on Russia, and Europe won’t.”
Strikes on Zaporizhzhia
Early on Saturday, a Russian glide bomb attack on Zaporizhzhia killed 15 people, including three children, according to Ukrainian authorities. “Today, Russia expressed its thanks for the lifting of sanctions on diesel exports by dropping five glide bombs on residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia,” Zelensky wrote on X.
The criticism comes as US-led efforts to end the more than four-and-a-half-year war remain deadlocked. Ukrainian, European and US officials met in Miami on Friday for a renewed push, with envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner expected to hold two days of talks.
