Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has criticised a reported agreement allowing Russia to supply diesel to the United States, warning that the move could provide Moscow with additional resources to continue its war against Ukraine.
Zelenskyy reacted after US President Donald Trump announced on Friday, October 9, that Russia would begin supplying more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel to the US and international markets. Further shipments were expected in November and the following months, according to Trump’s announcement.
The Ukrainian leader argued that easing restrictions on Russian fuel exports while the war continues could benefit Moscow financially and undermine efforts to pressure the Kremlin to end its military campaign.
In comments reported by the Associated Press, Zelenskyy warned that Russia would repay such concessions with further aggression. He described the arrangement as an investment in the war and said economic cooperation with Moscow should not come at the expense of Ukraine’s security.
Trump said the agreement followed a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The US president presented the arrangement as a way to increase fuel supplies and reduce prices for American farmers, truckers and other businesses affected by rising energy costs.
The announcement comes as diesel prices in the United States remain elevated amid disruptions to global energy supplies linked to the wars involving Iran and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Reuters reported that the average US diesel price had reached about $6.28 per gallon on Friday.
The US Treasury Department also issued a temporary general licence permitting Russian diesel imports until April 7, 2027, according to Reuters and the Associated Press. The decision marks a change in approach after years of restrictions on Russian energy trade following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Zelenskyy’s criticism came as Ukrainian and US officials held discussions aimed at finding a path towards ending the conflict. The Ukrainian president has argued that Washington should increase pressure on Russia rather than pursue economic arrangements while negotiations remain unresolved.
The deal has raised questions about how the United States will balance domestic efforts to lower fuel prices with its stated objective of pressuring Russia over the war. Details about payment arrangements, delivery schedules and the broader implications for sanctions were not fully clarified in the initial announcements.
For now, the disagreement highlights the competing priorities shaping international policy: easing energy costs for consumers and businesses while maintaining pressure on Russia to end its war against Ukraine. The longer-term impact of the diesel arrangement will depend on the scale of deliveries, market conditions and any further changes to sanctions.